A Theory for the Effect of Mean Stress on Fatigue of Metals Under Combined Torsion and Axial Load or Bending

The concept that alternating shear stress is the primary cause of fatigue with the normal stress on the critical shear plane as an influencing factor has been developed for the case of mean (or static) stresses superimposed on combinations of torsion and axial load or bending. The influence of the maximum stress of the cycle of stress on the allowable alternating stress for a given number of cycles and on the orientation of the critical shear plane is explored. The predictions of the theory are consistent with the known trends of fatigue data both for ductile metals and cast irons. The theory explains the fact that the influence of mean stress is weak for torsion and stronger for bending of ductile metals, but strong for both torsion and bending of cast irons. As far as is known this is the first rational theory for the influence of mean stress.