Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures

Thesis (PhD (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Heyns, P.S. (Philippus Stephanus)
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613652849262592
access_status_str Open Access
author2 Heyns, P.S. (Philippus Stephanus)
author_browse Heyns, P.S. (Philippus Stephanus)
author_facet Heyns, P.S. (Philippus Stephanus)
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © University of Pretor
description Thesis (PhD (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/23734
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:33.692Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/23734 A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures Heyns, P.S. (Philippus Stephanus) Raath, Anton D. jwannenburg@anglotechnical.co.za Wannenburg, Johann Structural designs Material Automotive Trucks Containers Trailers Trains UCTD Thesis (PhD (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007. It is accepted that defective structural designs are mostly caused by insufficient knowledge of input data, such as material properties or loading, rather than inadequate analysis or testing methods. In particular, loads associated with automotive and transport (trucks, trailers, containers, trains) structures are nontrivial to quantify. Such loads arise from stochastic and ill-defined processes such as driver/operator actions and structure-terrain interaction. The fundamental processes involved with the determination of input loading are measurements, surveys, simulation, estimation and calculation from field failures. These processes result in design criteria, code requirements and/or testing requirements. The present study deals with methods for the establishment of input loading for automotive and transport structures. It is attempted to generalise and unify new and existing techniques into a cohesive methodology. This is achieved by combining researched current theory and best practices, with lessons learned during application on, as well as new techniques developed for, a number of complex case studies, involving road tanker vehicles, light commercial vehicles, industrial vehicles, as well as tank containers. Apart from the above, the present study offers four individual, unique contributions. Firstly, two methods, widely applied by industry, namely the Remote Parameter Analysis (RPA) method, which entails deriving time domain dynamic loads by multiplying measured signals from remotely placed transducers with a unit-load static finite element based transfer matrix, as well as the Modal Superposition method, are combined to establish a methodology which accounts for modal response without the need for expensive dynamic response analysis. Secondly, a concept named Fatigue Equivalent Static Load (FESL) is developed, where fatigue load requirements are derived from measurements as quasi-static g-loads, the responses to which are considered as stress ranges applied a said number of times during the lifetime of the structure. In particular, it is demonstrated that the method may be employed for multi-axial g-loading, as well as for cases where constraint conditions change during the mission of the vehicle. The method provides some benefits compared to similar methods employed in the industry. Thirdly, a complex analytical model named Two Parameter Approach (TPA) is developed, defining the usage profile of a vehicle in terms of a bivariate probability density distribution of two parameters (distance/day, fatigue damage/distance), derived from measurements and surveys. Based on an inversion of the TPA model, a robust technique is developed for the derivation of such statistical usage profiles from only field failure data. Lastly, the applicability of the methods is demonstrated on a wide range of comprehensive case studies. Importantly, in most cases, substantiation of the methods is achieved by comparison of predicted failures with ‘real-world’ failures, in some cases made possible by the unusually long duration of the study. Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering PhD Unrestricted 2013-09-06T15:49:13Z 2008-05-06 2013-09-06T15:49:13Z 2007-09-05 2007 2008-04-03 Thesis Wannenburg, J 2007, A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures, PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/23734> http://hdl.handle.net/2263/23734 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04032008-100638/ © University of Pretor application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Structural designs
Material
Automotive
Trucks
Containers
Trailers
Trains
UCTD
A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
title A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
title_full A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
title_fullStr A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
title_full_unstemmed A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
title_short A study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
title_sort study of fatigue loading on automotive and transport structures
topic Structural designs
Material
Automotive
Trucks
Containers
Trailers
Trains
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/23734
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04032008-100638/