A Novel Fatigue Evaluation Approach with Direct Steady Cycle Analysis (DSCA) Based on the Linear Matching Method (LMM)

The traditional Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) evaluation method is based on elastic analysis with Neuber’s rule which is usually considered to be over conservative. However, the effective strain range at the steady cycle should be calculated by detailed cycle-by-cycle analysis for the alternative elastic-plastic method in ASME VIII-2, which is obviously time-consuming. A Direct Steady Cycle Analysis (DSCA) method within the Linear Matching Method (LMM) framework is proposed to assess the fatigue life accurately and efficiently for components with arbitrary geometries and cyclic loads. Temperature-dependent stress-strain relationships considering the strain hardening described by the Ramberg-Osgood (RO) formula are discussed and compared with those results obtained by the Elastic-Perfectly Plastic (EPP) model. Additionally, a Reversed Plasticity Domain Method (RPDM) based on the shakedown and ratchet limit analysis method and the DSCA approach within the LMM framework (LMM DSCA) is recommended to design cyclic load levels of LCF experiments with predefined fatigue life ranges.