Estimation of Structural Reliability Under Random Fatigue Conditions

A procedure for determining the reliability of a structural element or machine part is presented. The solution assumes that the stress history in the part can be described by a narrow band, stationary, Gaussian random process and that the fatigue behavior of the part is governed by the classical S-N curve. Endurance limit modifications are discussed and a procedure is presented for determining the mean and standard deviation of the static stresses acting throughout a structure. A numerical example is presented showing the method applied to estimate the fatigue reliability of a power wheelchair frame.