Investigation of cyclic hysteresis energy in fatigue failure process

Abstract The cyclic hysteresis energy of four kinds of steel was analysed using fully reversed constant-strain-controlled fatigue tests. Mathematical formulae for the cyclic hysteresis energy of the materials, which have different cyclic properties, are proposed. Because of the experimental and theoretical relations of cyclic hysteresis energy and the total absorbed energy to failure versus fatigue failure life, it is considered that part of the hysteresis energy is absorbed through heating, vibration and non-propagating defects during the process of fatigue life. The total absorbed energy to failure is associated with the variation of cyclic hysteresis energy.