Practical-Instruction Sheet

Course: Material Science and Engineering Laboratory

Course code: AM13203
Department of Applied Mechanics

Experiment: To study the fatigue behavior of different materials.

Objective:
 Study of the phenomenon of fatigue in structural or machine component
 To determine the fatigue life at a given stress amplitude
 Recognition of fatigue failure
 Study of the mechanism of fatigue
 Study of process of fatigue failure
 Remedies to fatigue failure

Equipment: Test piece (Aluminium, Mild steel, etc.), Moore’s apparatus (Rotating Beam method) or
INSTRON UTM (Axial loading method), Vernier- caliper, hanger and weights.
Theory:
“Fatigue in metals can be defined as failure of member due to the application of repeating and or
fluctuating loads which are far less than of static strength of the member”. The behavior of materials under
fluctuating and reversing loads or stress is known as fatigue. Fatigue is a progressive type of failure that occurs
in structures under fluctuating or dynamic loading. The rate of loading is usually not a factor in fatigue
behavior. Fatigue occurs at stress well within the elastic range. The main effects of fatigue on the properties of
materials are such as loss of ductility, loss of strength, enhanced uncertainty in strength and the service life of
materials. Fatigue failures generally involve three stages:
1.) Crack Initiation,
2.) Crack Propagation, and
3.) Fast Fracture
Fatigue failures often occur quite suddenly with catastrophic (disastrous) results and although most
insidious for metals, polymers and ceramics (except for glasses) are also susceptible to sudden fatigue failures.
Fatigue causes brittle like failures even in normally ductile materials with little gross plastic deformation
occurring prior to fracture. The process occurs by the initiation and propagation of cracks and, ordinarily, the
fracture surface is close to perpendicular to the direction of maximum tensile stress.
Applied stresses may be axial (tension-compression), flexural (bending) or torsional (twisting) in
nature. In general there are three possible fluctuating stress-time modes possible. The simplest is completely
reversed constant amplitude where the alternating stress varies from a maximum tensile stress to a minimum
compressive stress of equal magnitude. The second type, termed as repeated constant amplitude, occurs when
the maxima and minima are asymmetrical relative to the zero stress level. Lastly, the stress level may vary
randomly in amplitude and frequency which is merely termed random cycling. Various terms are defined
below which are used to characterize the fluctuating stress cycle in Figure 1.

“Stress amplitude” (σa) is the half of the difference of Maximum Stress and Minimum Stress.

σa = (σmax - σmin)/2

The Stress amplitude alternates about a “Mean stress” (σm) defined as the average of the Maximum and
Minimum Stresses in the cycle, σm = (σmax + σmin) / 2

“Range of stress” (σr) is the difference between Maximum Stress and Minimum Stress in the cycle.
σr = σmax - σmin

“Stress Ratio”(R) is the ratio of Minimum Stress to Maximum Stress. R = σmin / σmax
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“Fatigue life (Nf)” is the total number of cycles (N) required to bring about fracture in the material under an
applied Stress, defines the fatigue life.

“Fatigue limit” is defined as when the material can withstand a stress equal to endurance stress (σe) for any no.
of cycle without fatigue fracture.

Stress

σ max

σa
σm

σ min

Time
Figure1. Fluctuating Stress-Time diagram Figure 2. S-N curve

Most Fatigue Tests are conducted at what is referred to as “Constant Amplitude” which merely refers
to the fact that the maximum and minimum stresses are constant for each cycle of a test. S-N curve shown in
Figure 2 refers to a plot of Constant Amplitude Stress Level (S) verses Number of Cycles to Failure (N). S-N
Curves are generally plotted on semi-log or log-log paper where each dot represents the results of a single test
specimen. Fatigue tests tend to be time consuming and expensive; each data point represents many hours of
testing. A prediction of failure for various stress levels can be made by studying a material’s S-N curve. The

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most important part of the curve is often the portion to the right of the bend (or “knee”) in the curve that
identifies what is termed the Endurance Limit or the Fatigue Limit. The Endurance Limit defines the stress
level below which the material will theoretically withstand an infinite number (~108) of stress cycles without
fracture. Testing of materials to obtain S-N Curve is common; several ASTM standards address stress-based
fatigue testing. The "Rotating Bending Testing Machine" is similar to the original railroad axle-type Wohler
used where the bending moment is constant along the beam length. Each point on the surface of the Rotating-
Bend specimen is subjected to fully-reversed cycling (σm= 0) and the tests are generally Constant Amplitude.

Figure 5. Geometry of specimen and axial fatigue testing machine

Procedure to Fatigue Testing:

a) Before testing of the specimen, measure the dimension and surface finish to ensure the standard.
b) Prepared sample as per the standard shown in figure 4 is accommodated between the load bearings of the
machine.
c) Find out the yield strength of the given material of specimen from any data book.
d) Select stress level between 95%-50% of yield strength to be applied during tests (Each Group from your
batch is required to take different stress level and at the end of the course, groups are requested to
collect all readings to draw S-N curve).
e) Calculate the load as per the desired stress level.
f) Apply load including the weight of hanger.
g) Ensure ‘0’ count before start of the machine.
h) Now start the machine and continue running till the fracture of the specimen.
i) Switch ‘OFF’ the machine if test is completed.
j) Take out the sample and go for microscopic examination to ensure the fatigue failure or otherwise.

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Observations:

Material:
Yield strength of material:
% yield strength: …………. %
Stress ratio(R): -1

Minimum Minimum Maximum Stress Maximum Cycles to

diameter of area of applied stress amplitude (S) load failure (N)
specimen specimen

Results:
1. The fatigue tests is performed satisfactorily and obtained fatigue life is …………cycles/time corresponding
to the stress amplitude of ……………..
2. Locate failure point on standard S-N curve of given specimen.
3. Measure the length of crack propagation and rapid fracture zone using microscope and compute the ratio.
4. Draw S-N curve when sufficient number of data is available at the end of course.

Discussion:
1. Make discussion on fatigue lives of same material obtained at different stress level.
2. Make discussion on fatigue lives of different material at the same stress level.
3. Make discussion on the crack propagation area as compared to rapid fracture zone of different
materials at the same stress level or at different stress level of same material.
Precautions:
1. Before start of machine fit the sample tightly.
2. Handling of the sample should be taken care of.
3. Surface finish must be proper of the sample.
4. During test don’t touch the sample.
5. Shielding cover must be provided before start of running the test.
6. Fracture surface should be touch by hand to avoid any contaminations.

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