Dependence of Fatigue Damage on Loading Amplitude Variability

TLDR: In this paper, the effect of amplitude variability of the loading process on the fatigue life of steel specimens has been investigated under variable amplitude loadings to determine the extent to which fatigue life is affected by the rate of variation of loadings.

Abstract: Welded steel specimens have been tested under variable amplitude loadings to determine the extent to which fatigue life is affected by the rate of amplitude variability of the loading process. It appears that the rate of variation can significantly change the rate of fatigue damage. Comparisons have been made between the experimental results and commonly used analytical techniques such as the Rayleigh approximation and the rainflow analysis.