Fretting fatigue considerations in holistic structural integrity based design processes (HOLSIP)—A continuing evolution

Fretting fatigue has become one of the most significantly recognized failure mechanisms in engineering applications of critical components of many joined sub-systems or systems. It is one of the major areas of concern in fixed wing aircraft connections, rotary wing gearboxes, clutches, bearings, bushing, lugs, and engines of all types in the aviation industry. For many years the power generation industry has recognized the importance of fretting fatigue and some major failures have been attributed to fretting fatigue over many years. It has been of concern in many other industries in recent years. As the knowledge on fretting corrosion, fretting wear, and fretting fatigue has expanded it has been recognized as a major source of the failure of engineering components in a myriad of applications. This has led to recent standards for testing and terminology related to fretting fatigue in Japan, the USA/Canada (ASTM), and France.

Research highlights
► Fretting fatigue can be dealt with using HOLSIP methods.
► Fretting fatigue involves early formation/nucleation of cracks and HOLSIP allows their prediction.
► Over 40 years of application of HOLSIP to fretting fatigue challenges has occurred.