AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

Assessment of fatigue life according to FKM-Code

within HyperWorks

Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Feickert,

Dipl.-Ing. Tim Kirchhoff
Ingenieurbüro Huß & Feickert, Liederbach

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 AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

Overview

• German FKM-Code
• The tool AutoFENA 3D
• Demonstration
• Conclusion

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 AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

FKM-Code

• The German FKM-code [5. enhanced edition 2003], is a well

accepted code for the analytical strength assessment
for machine components
• The code is widely-used in german speaking
countries.
• Valid for steel (up to 500°C), cast irons (up to 500°C)
und aluminium (up to 200°C)

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FKM-Code stress material

strength
construction
values

Assessment for:
• Static strength
– limit state
construction static construction
strength alternate strength

• Fatigue construction fatigue

limit

– fatigue limit construction fatigue

– fatigue life
strength

safety factors
The calculation bases on:
• Nominal stresses in a section assessment

• Local stresses (effective notch stress)

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 AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

FKM-Code
• Assessment procedure using local stresses
– Fatigue action: determine effective notch stress
– Fatigue resistance: against effective elastic notch
stress in terms of a universal S-N curve
– Summation of cumulative damage
– Use adequate safety factors depending on
inspection procedure, material, non destructive
testing and consequences of failure (damage)
• Results of FEM-analysis can be used
• Critical points must be chosen by the user

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FKM-Code
Necessary data:
• Amplitude und mean value
of elastic principle stresses
at the surface
• Stress gradient into the
inner part
• Material properties and
treatment
• Thickness

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The Tool

• Parser to the database of HyperWorks

– Export stress values, node- and element-data

• Transform the data into necessary format

– Calculation of load combinations
– Calculation of stress gradients

• Assessment according to FKM-Code

– Static strength
– Fatigue

• Writer to the database of HyperWorks

– Visualizing fatigue damage ratio within HyperView

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Program structure

input data result data from static

from FE- strength and fatigue
Analysis - read data from - do calculations - reads data from assessment
HyperWorks on the data data base
according to
- interpretation of FKM-Code - writes data to
data HyperWorks
- write data into
database

data base

- holds the data

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Interpretation and calculation of loadcases

• Static, swelling, alternating loadcases

– Within the tool the load cases can be interpreted to be static,
swelling, alternating or to have an arbitrary stress factor
– All linear combinations of the load cases will be calculated
within AutoFENA3D

• Fixed load cases

– Load case combinations are already calculated within the
FEM-Code
– The stresses vary between the load cases

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Calculation of linear combinations

• The load cases will be interpreted as user defined

– static: σ
– swelling: 0 to σ
– alternating: -σ to σ
– arbitrary: R=?

• All possible linear combinations will be calculated

automatically
• The combinations are calculated by adding the stress
tensors within the global coordinate system

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Critical load combination

• The combination with the highest and the smallest

principle stress S1 and S3 will be calculated
• In all other load combinations the smallest and the
highest normal stress N3 and N1 in the direction of
the principle stresses are searched
• The mean value and the amplitude are calculated
between the principle stress and the normal stress
S1, N1 and S3, N3 respectively

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Calculation of stress gradient

• The stress gradient is necessary to

calculate the plasticity factor (additional support)
• The stress gradient is calculated by
the form functions of a 4-Node-
Tetrahedron and a 8-Node-Hexahedron
• The stress gradient is
calculated for every
node on the surface

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trosional moment
bending moment
normal force AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08
internal pressure

Example flange

Load cases

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 AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

Example flange

Stress distribution

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 AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

Example flange

Different meshing

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Result of FKM-Code

Hexahedron mesh coarse Hexahedron mesh fine

Utilisation ratio
(The degree of fatigue strength capacity consumed)

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 AutoFENA 3D EHTC 08

Result of FKM-Code

Tetrahedron mesh coarse Tetrahedron mesh fine

Utilisation ratio

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Summary

• Using the tool will lead to a faster assessment

• The selection of critical points by the user is omitted
• The calculation is more reliable
• Easier interpretation of results caused by visualization
over the whole assembly

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stress material construction

strength values

construction static construction

strength alternate strength

construction fatigue
limit

construction fatigue
strength

safety factors

assessment

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