Displacement measurement on specimens subjected to non-Gaussian random vibrations in fatigue life tests

High-cycle fatigue life tests conducted using controlled random vibrations are commonly used to evaluate failure in components and structures. In most cases, a Gaussian distribution of both the input vibration and the stress response is assumed, while real-life loads may be non-Gaussian causing the response to be non-Gaussian as well. Generating non-Gaussian drive signals with high kurtosis and a given power spectral density, however, does not always guarantee that the stress response will actually be non-Gaussian, because this depends on the adherence of the tested system to the Central Limit Theorem. On the other side, suitable measurement methods need to be developed in order to estimate the stress amplitude response at critical failure locations, and therefore to evaluate and select input loads. In this paper, a simple test rig with a notched cantilevered specimen was developed to measure the response and examine the kurtosis values in the case of stationary Gaussian, stationary non-Gaussian, and non-stationary non-Gaussian excitation signals. The Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) technique was used for the first time in this type of test, to estimate the specimen stress amplitude response in terms of differential displacement at the notch section ends. A method based on the use of accelerometers to correct for the occasional signal drops occurring during the experiment is described and the results are discussed with respect to the ability of the test procedure to evaluate the output signal.