Fatigue Strength Assessment of Steel Rollers: On the Reliability of the Strain Energy Density Approach on Real Components

Introduction Welding procedures have allowed the simple realization of many complex structural connections in several different applications, such as bridges, cranes, offshore structures, and buildings [1]. Besides the optimization of the process parameters [2,3,4], researchers have focused on the fatigue behavior of welded components. Welds represent local regions of higher stresses (i.e., stress concentrators) and fatigue failure is widely known to be sensitive to local peak stresses. [...]over the years, several methods have been developed to assess the fatigue behavior of welds, and among these the Notch Stress Intensity Factor (NSIF) approach is worth mentioning [6,7,8]. [...]since experimental observations have revealed that the most used welding procedures, such as arc and laser welding, are characterized by a very small weld toe radius, it is acceptable to model it as a sharp notch and the fatigue behavior can thus be correlated to the NSIFs [9,10]. [...]the aforementioned scatter band has revealed to be a reliable tool for the assessment of the fatigue failure of the welded joints regardless of the location of the failure. 5.