Understanding the fatigue behaviour of structural components under
variable load amplitude is an essential prerequisite for safe and
reliable light-weight design.
For designing and dimensioning, the expected stress (load) is compared
with the capacity to withstand loads (fatigue strength). In this
process, the safety necessary for each particular application must be
ensured. A prerequisite for ensuring the required fatigue strength is a
reliable load assumption.
The authors describe the transformation of the stress- and load-time
functions which have been measured under operational conditions to
spectra or matrices with the application of counting methods. The
aspects which must be considered for ensuring a reliable load assumption
for designing and dimensioning are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the
theoretical background for estimating the fatigue life of structural
components is explained, and the procedures are discussed for numerous
applications in practice. One of the prime intentions of the authors is
to provide recommendations which can be implemented in practical
applications.