The WELFARE (WELded FAtigue REsistance) local strain method, recently proposed for the prediction of welded structures fatigue life, is based on the strain gage measurement of the strain field close to the weld toe, which is considered the responsible for the material fatigue damage. A fatigue life curve in terms of local strain amplitude has been found for welded joints made of structural steel under stress ratios from -1 to 0.5. In this work the Local Strain Method is accurately described and the results of fatigue tests on thin welded joints are reported, in order to prove the general validity of this approach.
展开▼
