S-N Curve Models

• S-N curve models categorized as follows

– Empirically derived
– Based on statistical techniques - ex. confidence
intervals
– Dependence on Stress Ratio (SR) - ex. critical stress
ratio
– Damage metric based - ex. residual strength (RS)
– Damage mechanism based

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• Conventional S-N curves do not consider mode
of failure, damage, failure mechanism, SR etc.
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S-N Curve Models
• Conventional S-N curve approach - simpler
– S-N models from strength and stiffness
degradation approach or any other damage metric
- more involved in developing S-N curves
• S-N reflects behavior of experimental data in
form of a mathematical expression
• Sophisticated models - take into account SR,

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frequency etc.
– More experimental data, strong influence on
selection/computation of parameters
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S-N Curve Models
• Steps involved in developing a rational life
prediction method
– Experimental observation of damage accumulation
process and formulation of an appropriate damage
metric
– Formulation of damage accumulation model in
terms of damage metric and experimental
characterization of model parameters

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– Damage summation procedure (ex. Miner’s) based
on damage metric to predict life under general
fatigue loading
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S-N Curve Models
• Less complexity in metals than in composites –
multiple failure mechanisms in latter

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Basquin’s Model
• One of the earliest models of S-N curve

 max    N f   1

Power law

max: Max. / peak stress, Nf: Number of cycles to failure,

 and : Fitting parameters.
Taking ln on both sides of the above equation.

ln  max  ln    ln N f   2

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y  c1  c2 x This is a straight line on ln-ln scale

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Basquin’s Model
• Another form of equation (1)
 max     ln N f   3
This has to be plotted on a semi-log sheet => linear (y-axis)
and ln scale on x-axis.
The above expression is of the form…

N f  c1 exp c2 max    4  Exponential form

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Basquin’s Model
• Power and exponential laws work well for
intermediate life predictions
S-N curve for GFRP
laminate
[0/+45/90/-45/0]s

Exponential law when

extrapolated beyond

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intermediate region, it
meets close to static
strength

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Basquin’s Model
• Extrapolate power law towards static strength
- it predicts very high value
• Match ultimate strength with power law
– Accuracy in
intermediate
region lost
- Results in

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incorrect slope

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Basquin’s Model
• Power law fails to capture low cycle fatigue
and exponential law fails to capture high cycle
fatigue
• Two boundary conditions an S-N curve to
satisfy
@ N  1,  max   U
@ N  ,  max   

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S-N model has to satisfy both the BCs. Some models satisfy
either one of them only.

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Basquin’s Model
• Applying BCs to power law

 max    N f   1


Here,  is negative. As Nf increases, the term in the brackets

vanishes. Finally, max has to approach endurance strength.
Therefore, the above expression becomes the following.

 max    N f       5


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Thus the power law can be made to satisfy the endurance
strength.

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