Low – Cost, Accelerated High-Cycle Fatigue Testing by Resonant Dwell

Characterization of the fatigue properties of new materials using conventional empirical procedures will be very expensive and time-consuming because of the need for sufficient fatigue life data, especially in the high cycle fatigue (HCF) region. Fatigue specimens tested at 30 Hz require over nine hours to accumulate 106 cycles for each fatigue data point. Resonant-dwell double-cantilever beam specimens resonating at approximately 260 Hz accumulate 106 cycles in about an hour. This paper describes low–cost, accelerated HCF fatigue testing using resonant – dwell specimens and a small, inexpensive electrodynamic shaker. Using this method, HCF data needed for characterizing the fatigue properties of new materials can be collected about nine times faster than a servo–hydraulic test machine operating at 30 Hz.Copyright © 2012 by ASME