Fatigue assessment of welded joints under variable amplitude loading using a novel notch stress approach

Experimental fatigue data for ASW, HFMI and LTT treated joints under VA tensile loading were analyzed using the 3R-method that takes the local stress ratio into account. The main focus of the work was study of how the new approach predicts the fatigue strength of welded joint under VA loading. Equivalent CA notch stress ranges at failure were calculated using a mean master S-N-curve and Miner's linear cumulative damage rule. All calculated equivalent stress ranges at failure were above the characteristic master S-N-curve, which corresponds to a damage sum of 0.174 at failure, in a case-independent reference notch stress system.