A TEAM Industrial Services Company

Part 14 – Assessment of
Fatigue Damage
API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 2016

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Definition of Fatigue

• Fatigue is the phenomenon leading to fracture or failure that is

caused by repeated or fluctuating stresses having a maximum value
less than the ultimate strength of the material.

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Fatigue

• Component subjected to alternating stress.

– Start-ups and shut-downs.
– Pressure cycling, such as on pipelines.
– Thermal cycles.
– Rotating shafts.
• Fatigue cracks initiate at surfaces in over 99.9% of
cases.
• Occurs in two stages.
– Initiation.
– Crack propagation.
• Propagation rate normally increases until ductile or brittle
overload occurs.

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Typical fatigue crack

Fillet welds are

typical initiators

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Cyclic stress

Smax is the maximum or peak stress

Smin is the minimum stress (may be compressive i.e. negative)
Sm is the mean stress ie Sm= (Smax + Smin )/2
∆ S is the stress range ie ∆S = Smax- Smin
R is the stress ratio ie R= Smin/ Smax

Smax
1

Sa
0
∆S
Sm
0 0 20

Smin
-1

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Fatigue data - The S/N curve

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Fatigue Assessment in Part 14

• Part 14 addresses fatigue using stress/strain based

curves.
• Fatigue crack propagation uses Part 9.

• Level 1 and 2 Assessment matches methodology in

BPVC Sec. VIII-Div. 2, Part 5 “Design by Analysis”.

• Level 1: Screening Criteria

• Level 2: Based on S-N curves to determine allowable
cycles.

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Applicability and Limitations
Level 1 and 2 Procedures

• The original design criteria were in accordance

with a recognized code or standard.

• The material has sufficient toughness to avoid

brittle fracture. This can be checked with the
Part 3 assessment.

• A time loading history, and associated stresses,

of the component can be determined.

• A fatigue curve can be established (Annex 14B).

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Applicability and Limitations
Level 1 and 2 Procedures

• Level 1 Assessment: Screening Criteria

– Method A: Fatigue screening based on prior experience.
– Method B: Fatigue screening based on cycle count.
– Method C: Fatigue screening using smooth bar fatigue curves.
– Method D: Fatigue screening using welded bar fatigue curves.
– Under Development
• Level 2 Assessment:
– Method A: Elastic stress analysis and equivalent stresses.
– Method B: Elastic-plastic stress analysis and equivalent strain.
– Method C: Welds using the equivalent structural stress.
• Level 3 Assessment:
– FEA
– Non-proportional loading
– Loading sequence

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Level 1 Method B:

Valid for UTS < 80ksi

• Step 1 – Determine load history for past and future
planned operation.
• Step 2 – Determine number of full pressure cycles.
• Step 3 – Determine number of significant pressure
cycles (15/20% of design).
• Step 4 – Determine number of thermal cycles defined as
temperature difference between adjacent points.
(Scaling based on Table 14.1).
• Step 5 – Determine number of thermal cycles due to
differential thermal expansion.
• Step 6 – Verify if number of cycles from Steps 2,3,4,5 is
acceptable per Table 14.2.
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Level 1 Method B: Table 14.2

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Level 1 Method C and D

• Method C: Similar to Method B, but uses smooth-bar

fatigue curves (Annex 14B) with scaling factors to
evaluate if each type of cycle is acceptable.

• Method D: Under development. Will use welded joint

curves to evaluate each type of cycle.

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Life Fraction Summation

𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑖
𝐷𝐷 = �
𝑁𝑁𝑖𝑖
𝑖𝑖

• n = actual number of cycles

• N = allowed number of cycles

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Stress Distribution for Level 3 Analysis

Example of FEA stress

analysis

Hydro power
turbine scroll case

Fatigue is most likely

at leading edge in fillet
radius

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