Engineering Fracture Mechanics 73 (2006) 535–536

www.elsevier.com/locate/engfracmech

Book review

Fatigue Testing and Analysis: Theory and Practice. Yung-Li Lee, Jwo Pan, Richard Hathaway, Mark
Barkey, Elsevier, 2004, 416 pages, US$89.95, €89.95, £59.99, ISBN: 0-7506-7719-8

Fatigue testing and analysis provides a comprehensive summary of fatigue of metals with emphasis on
both theory and practice. If you have only one book on fatigue, this should be the one. This book is an
excellent blend of the underlying science of fatigue and the application of this knowledge to the art of
fatigue design and analysis. It will be useful to both testing and design engineers.
The authors recognize that much fatigue analysis is conducted with commercial software packages. This
book contains a clear description of the various analytical methods with guidance as to when and how to
use them. Simple example problems are included with the chapters so the reader gains an understanding of
the calculations that are done when analyzing a more complex problem. Fatigue is a stochastic process and
statistical aspects are included most of the chapters. Most of the graphs and charts contain actual test data
rather than trend lines. Considerable emphasis is placed on quantifying the service loads in many of the
chapters.
The book contains 402 pages organized into 10 chapters. Chapter 1 (Transducers and Data Acquisi-
tion) reviews loads and strain measurement with an emphasis on obtaining reliable loads data for subse-
quent fatigue analysis. Fatigue mechanisms and damage accumulation theories are discussed in Chapter 2
(Fatigue Damage Theories). Both crack initiation and propagation are considered. Variable amplitude
cycle counting methods are described in Chapter 3 (Cycle Counting Techniques). Methods for reconstruct-
ing a loading history from a cycle counted matrix are also described. Chapter 4 (Stress-Based Fatigue
Analysis and Design) focuses not only on the stress-life methodology but also on the tests required to
obtain the material properties. There is an excellent presentation of the statistical aspects of material prop-
erties and testing. Factors influencing the fatigue limit of the material and manufactured part are de-
scribed. Many practical design examples are presented. Chapter 5 (Strain-Based Fatigue Analysis and
Design) develops the basic equations and describes the material properties employed in strain-life analysis.
Fracture mechanics approach is presented in Chapter 6 (Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue Crack
Propagation).
The next 4 chapters contain important topics not found in any other book about fatigue. Chapter 7
(Fatigue of Spot Welds) not only describes the behavior of spot welds, but also provides the theoretical
basis for the important methods used to analyze spot welded structures. Methods for development of
loading spectra for design and testing are discussed in Chapter 8 (Development of Accelerated Life Test
Criteria). Statistical aspects of fatigue are described in Chapter 9 (Reliability Demonstration Testing).
The chapter focuses on developing reliable test plans and interpreting the test data to ensure a reliable
product. Finally, Chapter 10 (Fatigue Analysis in the Frequency Domain) describes how power spectral
density measurements can be used to assess fatigue damage in situations involving random vibration
loading.

doi:10.1016/j.engfracmech.2005.01.001
536 Book review / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 73 (2006) 535–536

This book is an excellent beginning for practicing engineers who wish to gain a better understanding of
the various techniques used for fatigue assessment of structures and components. At the same time experts
will find it a useful reference for many of the newer methods and techniques.

Darrell Socie
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
158 Mechanical Engineering Building, MC-244,
1206 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Tel.: +1 217 333 7630; fax: +1 217 244 6534
E-mail address: d-socie@uiuc.edu

Available online 28 November 2005