Finite Element Analysis Lab

Tutorial 4

Personalized Learning
WILP

Fatigue Durability study on Tow Hook

 Fatigue Failures
• Weakness in metal or other materials caused by repeated variations of stress.
• Failure occurs after a period of time even in case of low stress.
 Fatigue Failures
Fatigue failure is associated with loading, geometry and materials of the component/
structure.

Fatigue Analysis Method:

Stress Life method – Stress drives crack initiation
High cycle fatigue

Strain Life method – Strain drives crack initiation

Low cycle fatigue

Crack growth – Stress intensity factor drives crack growth

Assumes the existence of an existing crack or flaw
 Fatigue Failures
Fatigue Loading:

Constant amplitude

a) Constant loading b) Block loading c) Variable loading

Problem Statement
A tow hook is subjected to various load cases / duty cycle
• Pulling single axle trolley of 10 tonnes
• Going uphill, downhill, turning with the trolley
Determine the structural strength and the fatigue life of the component for the following
condition. Consider structural steel as the material.
Load Condition Real world usage pattern Load Traget Acceptance
(RWUP) Life Criteria
Homologation Tractor pulling trolley on road & field Horizontal Load 2.5 ton NA Stress < YS
Vertical Load 0.8 ton Life >= 10 lakhs
Normal Condition Pulling Single axle trolley – Hor. Load Horizontal Load 10 ton * 0.8*g (kN) 10 years of Stress < YS
Pulling Single axle trolley – Ver. load Vertical Load 10 ton *0.2*g (kN) design life Life: As per duty cycle
Abuse Operation Bund crossing in field, experiencing Horizontal Load 20 ton * 0.8*g (kN) 2 Years of Stress < UTS
jerk, sudden braking, etc. Vertical Load 20 ton *0.2*g (kN) warranty Life: As per duty cycle
life
Problem Statement
Tractor tow hook is a mechanical coupling device between tractor & trolley.

2&3
1
STEPS
• Step 1: Create a working directory @ cloud desktop

• Step 2: Open the Ansys workbench software

• Step 3: Open Analysis System: Static Structure

• Step 4: Create/Import Geometry

• Step 5: Set material property

• Step 6: Generate Mesh

• Step 7: Add constraints( Boundary & Load conditions)

• Step 8: Solve

• Step 9: Result interpretation

• Step 10: Validation

LEARNING OUTCOME
• How to model the geometry and assigning the material

• How to Assign constraints

• How to Assign real loading conditions

• How to interpret the simulation results

• Validating numerical results with analytical solution