Book Focuses on Fatigue Analysis in Metal

By DE Editors

A new book, Modern Metal Fatigue Analysis by Professor John Draper, is intended to bridge the gap between research and design in methods of fatigue life estimation, an industry that the company says has changed considerably in the last 30 years,

By providing a concise introduction to modern methods of fatigue analysis as well as the more traditional methods, the contents have been developed as course notes for training courses presented in Europe, North America, and Asia to engineers who need to apply fatigue knowledge in engineering design, fatigue testing, and failure investigation. The book will also be of value to academics and undergraduates on mechanical engineering courses.

The book assumes no prior knowledge of metal fatigue. It introduces the concepts of strain-based fatigue analysis and the more traditional S-N curve methods. Modern theories of multiaxial fatigue are described, together with their application to strain gauge measurements and fatigue analysis of finite element models. There are chapters on statistical analysis, crack propagation, and fatigue of welded steel joints. The final chapters discuss the merits and disadvantages of different types of fatigue tests, and aspects of practical fatigue analysis. Throughout the book the emphasis is on practical application.

John Draper worked as a fatigue design specialist in the aircraft industry, then as a project manager in British Rail R&D Division for fatigue research projects, and failure investigation projects using service strain measurement.

He formed Safe Technology Limited in 1987, supervised SMART award projects, is Chairman of Safe Technology Limited, past Chairman of the Engineering Integrity Society and the Ground Vehicle Instrumentation Group, and an Honorary Visiting Professor to Sheffield Hallam University.

For details, go to the UK Forum for Engineering Structural Integrity (FESI).

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.