Consider the engineering component with a stress concentration which is schematically sketched in Fig. 1.2. The component is subjected to variable amplitude fatigue which consists of constant amplitude stress cycles mixed with periodic overloads. The component is made of a high strength material and the extent of plastic deformation is small compared to the root radius of the notch in the component.
(a) Outline a procedure for the determination of the number of cycles to initiate and propagate the crack ahead of the stress concentration.
(b) Discuss the beneficial or detrimental effects of the overloads on the fatigue life
