Predicting
fatigue life of a given specimen using analytical methods can sometimes be challenging. An
approach worth considering for this prediction involves employing fracture
mechanics. Fracture mechanics can complement both laboratory experiments and
finite element analysis (FEA) in estimating fatigue life of a given specimen,
if relevant. In the case of aluminum light poles containing a welded hand-hole,
the fatigue life has not yet been thoroughly predicted. The University of Akron
has conducted a comprehensive fatigue study on aluminum light poles through
various means, albeit without of predicting of said fatigue life of the
specimens. AFGROW (Air Force Growth) can be
used as a fracture mechanics software to predict fatigue life. ABAQUS was used
(for FEA) in conjunction with the AFGROW analysis. The purpose of this study was
to ultimately predict the life of the specimens tested in the lab and was
achieved with various models including hollow tube and plate models. The plate
model process was ultimately found to be the best method for this prediction,
yielding results that mimicked the data from the laboratory. Further
application for this form of fracture mechanics analysis is still yet to be
determined, but for the sake of aluminum light poles, it is possible to predict
the fatigue life and utilize said prediction in the field.
Total Materia (2011) Application of Fracture Mechanics. Key to Metals AG. Report.
[5]
Alves, A.S.F., et al. (2015) Fatigue Life Prediction Based on Crack Growth Analysis Using an Equivalent Internal Flaw Size Model: Application to a Notched Geometry. Procedia Engineering, 114, 730-737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.018
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Wang, F. and Cui, W.C. (2020) Recent Developments on the Unified Fatigue Life Prediction Methods Based on Fracture Mechanics and Its Applications. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8, Article No. 427. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8060427
[7]
Freudenthal, A. (1973) Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 5, 403-414. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-7944(73)90030-1
[8]
Kanninen, M.F. (1985) Applications of Dynamic Fracture Mechanics for the Prediction of Crack Arrest in Engineering Structures. International Journal of Fracture, 27, 299-312. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017974
[9]
Idris, R., Abdullah, S., Thamburaja, P. and Omar, M.Z. (2019) Prediction of Fatigue Crack Growth Rate Based on Entropy Generation. Entropy, 22, Article No. 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/e22010009
[10]
Hsu, Y.C., Yu, C.H. and Buehler, M.J. (2020) Using Deep Learning to Predict Fracture Patterns in Crystalline Solids. Matter, 3, 197-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2020.04.019
[11]
Leonetti, D., Maljaars, J. and (Bert) Snijder, H.H. (2021) Fracture Mechanics Based Fracture Life Prediction for a Weld Toe Crack under Constant and Variable Amplitude Random Block Loading—Modeling and Uncertainty Estimation. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 242, Article ID: 107487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2020.107487
[12]
Longgang, T. and Ziling, C. (2021) Fracture and Fatigue Analyses of Cracked Structures Using the Iterative Method. Geofluids, 2021, Article ID: 4434598. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/4434598
AFGROW.net (2023) Section 2.4.0 Life Prediction Methodology.
[15]
(2010) Aluminum Design Manual: Specification for Aluminum Structures. The Aluminum Association, Arlington.
[16]
Daneshkhah, A., Schlatter, C., Rusnak, C. and Menzemer, C. (2019) Fatigue Behavior of Reinforced Welded Hand-Holes in Aluminum Light Poles. Engineering Structures, 188, 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.03.013
[17]
Rusnak, C. and Menzemer, C. (2021) Fatigue Behavior of Flush Welded Hand-Holes in Aluminum Light Poles. Research on Engineering Structures and Materials, 7, 465-480.
[18]
Rusnak, C. and Menzemer, C. (2021) Fatigue Behavior of Nonreinforced Hand-Holes in Aluminum Light Poles. Metals, 11, Article No. 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/met11081222
[19]
Rusnak, C. and Menzemer, C. (2022) Fatigue Behavior of Reinforced Welded Hand-Holes in Aluminum Light Poles with a Change in Detail Geometry. In: Ravindran, G., Mahesh, V. and Kassem, M.M., Eds., Failure Analysis—Structural Health Monitoring of Structure and Infrastructure Components, IntechOpen, London, 247-258.
[20]
Rusnak, C. and Menzemer, C. (2022) Fracture Mechanics and Its Application to the Fatigue Behavior of Reinforced Welded Hand-Holes in Aluminum Light Poles. Authorea. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.167454905.53511213/v1
