Fatigue loading of helical springs

When the loading is cyclic and the spring is subjected to millions of

cycles of operation (eg. Valve spring of an automotive engine) it has
to be designed for infinite life
In springs, the loading is generally fluctuating in nature (not reversed)
under an initial preload; in the worst case, repeated (i.e. Fmin = 0)
In analysing fatigue in springs, the Wahl correction factor is split into
two factors, i.e., K = Kc Ks
(Ks= shear stress multiplication factor and Kc= factor for curvature effect)
While calculating the mean shear stress, the curvature correction
factor is generally avoided, whereas the full Wahl factor is used with
the variable stress, i.e., 8Fa D 8Fm D
a K m Ks
d 3
d 3
Here, F Fmin F Fmin
Fa max Fm max
2 2
For a more conservative design full Wahl factor is used with both
mean and variable stresses
 Fatigue loading of helical springs (Contd)
To arrive at the fatigue failure
conditions, The modified
Soderberg diagram can be
made use of
The endurance limit for
released loading (repeated
loading) is shown at point A
(where the mean stress
(= rel) and the variable
stress are the same)
AB gives the failure line for
fatigue
CD is the design line
1 m a 2 a rel = endurance limit
The design equation is given by,
N y rel for released torsion
 Method suggested by Wahl
To avoid failure under fatigue loading , two conditions must be
satisfied:

rel 2
Condition-1 : a
N

y
Condition-2 : max
N

max min 8 DFmax Fmin

Here, a K
2 2 d 3
8 DFmax
and max a m K s
d3
 Example Problem

A spring subjected to a load varying from 400 N to 1000 N is to

be made of oil tempered, cold wound steel wire. Determine the
diameter of the wire and the mean diameter of the coil for a
factor of safety of 1.8. The spring index has to be 6. Determine
the minimum free length also, choosing the spring stiffness as
36 N/mm.
Take y = 770 MPa and (e)rel = 300 MPa G = 85 GPa