• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.443-457
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• 2011

The loss of strength in a structure as a result of cyclic loads over a period of life time is an important phenomenon for the life-cycle analysis. Service loads are accentuated at the areas of stress concentration, mainly at the connection of components. Structural components unavoidably are affected by defects such as surface scratches, surface roughness and weld defects of random sizes, which usually occur during the manufacturing and handling process. These defects are shown to have an important effect on the fatigue life of the structural components by promoting crack initiation sites. The value of equivalent initial flaw size (EIFS) is calculated by using the back extrapolation technique and the Paris law of fatigue crack growth from results of fatigue tests. We try to analyze the effect of EIFS distribution in a multiple site damage (MSD) specimen by using the extended finite element method (XFEM). For the analysis, fatigue tests were conducted on the centrally-cracked specimens and MSD specimens.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.516-522
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• 2015

Aging aircraft structures are inevitably exposed to environment for a long time facing many potential problems, including corrosion and wide spread fatigue damage, which in turn cause the degradation of flight safety. In this study, the environmental surface damages on aging aircraft structures induced during service were quantitatively analyzed. Additionally, S-N fatigue tests were performed with center hole specimens extracted from aging aircraft structures. From the results of quantitative analyses of the surface damages and fatigue tests, it is concluded that corrosion pits initiated during service reduce the fatigue life significantly. Finally, using the fracture mechanics and the EIFS (equivalent initial flaw size) concepts, the remaining fatigue life was predicted based on actual fatigue test results.