The use of the Ansys computational tool in the initial study of the fatigue phenomenon

Resumo

The fatigue phenomenon in structural elements is a major concern. Most of the structures, even when
projected in the elastic regime, are subject to failures after a certain time of exposure of the load. These failures
can lead to collapse and affect not only the target element, but also compromise the integrity of everything around
it. Experimental and numerical analysis are tools used to evaluate this phenomenon and its implications,
contributing to offer subsidies to guarantee a long life to the structural element. The purpose of this study is to
validate the use of the fatigue tool in the Ansys Student software. For this purpose, a cantilever beam subjected to
a harmonic force at its free end was studied. The numerical values extracted, such as stress, fatigue life, safety
coefficient and fatigue damage, were compared with those obtained by the analytical procedure. The achieved
values converged, demonstrating in addition to the correct conduction in the use of the computational tool, the
understanding of the basic theoretical concepts of the study of fatigue.