Fatigue strength of Al7075 notched plates based on the local SED averaged over a control volume

When pointed V-notches weaken structural components, local stresses are singular and their intensities are expressed in terms of the notch stress intensity factors (NSIFs). These parameters have been widely used for fatigue assessments of welded structures under high cycle fatigue and sharp notches in plates made of brittle materials subjected to static loading. Fine meshes are required to capture the asymptotic stress distributions ahead of the notch tip and evaluate the relevant NSIFs. On the other hand, when the aim is to determine the local Strain Energy Density (SED) averaged in a control volume embracing the point of stress singularity, refined meshes are, not at all, necessary. The SED can be evaluated from nodal displacements and regular coarse meshes provide accurate values for the averaged local SED. In the present contribution, the link between the SED and the NSIFs is discussed by considering some typical welded joints and sharp V-notches. The procedure based on the SED has been also proofed to be useful for determining theoretical stress concentration factors of blunt notches and holes. In the second part of this work an application of the strain energy density to the fatigue assessment of Al7075 notched plates is presented. The experimental data are taken from the recent literature and refer to notched specimens subjected to different shot peening treatments aimed to increase the notch fatigue strength with respect to the parent material.

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