Nonlinear Analysis of a Tapered Disk Thermal Fatigue Specimen

Calculations of the stress-strain response of a common tapered disk thermal fatigue specimen are presented. The calculations were made by complete nonlinear finite element solution and by a simpler method employing the elastic strain-invariance principle. The results are used to show the effect of several common test variables on the resulting stress-strain response, to assess the effect of various material behavior and structural analysis assumptions on the stress-strain response, and to explore the application of several high-temperature fatigue damage prediction methods to transient thermal fatigue loading.