An energy-based method for predicting fatigue life of half-circle notched specimens, based on the nominal applied stress amplitude, has been developed. This developed method is based on the understanding that the total strain energy dissipated during a monotonic fracture and a cyclic process is the same material property, where the density of each can be determined by measuring the area underneath the monotonic true stress-strain curve and measuring the sum of the area within each Hysteresis loop in the cyclic process, respectively. Using this understanding, the criterion for determining fatigue life prediction of half-circle notched components is constructed by incorporating the stress gradient effect through the notch root cross-section. Though fatigue at a notch root is a local phenomenon, evaluation of the stress gradient through the notch root cross-section is essential for incorporating this method into finite element analysis minimum potential energy process. The validation of this method was carried out by comparison with both notched and unnnotched experimental fatigue life of Aluminum 6061-T6 (Al 6061-T6) specimens under tension/compression loading at the theoretical notch fatigue stress concentration factor of 1.75. The comparison initially showed a slight deviation between prediction and experimental results. This led to the analysis of strain energy density per cycle up to failure, and an improved Hysteresis representation for the energy-based prediction analysis. With the newly developed Hysteresis representation, the energy-based prediction comparison shows encouraging agreement with unnotched experimental results and a theoretical notch stress concentration value.
Iterative learning control for stroke rehabilitation with input dependent muscle fatigue modeling