Digital Twin For Fatigue Analysis

The main design parameters that impact the fatigue of components are geometry, material and loading. Simulation with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and tests on a vibrating table are often used to understand the dynamic behaviour of components and thus validate those items.

Accelerated tests are used for the mission profile and test definition, as described in GAM-EG-13, MIL-STD-810F and RTCA DO-160E. The shock response spectrum (SRS) and the extreme response spectrum (ERS) allow for a comparison of the power spectrum density (PSD) and the acceleration factor applied in terms of fatigue severity through the fatigue damage spectrum (FDS). In addition, the hypothesis of linear damage accumulation enables the combination of several events for specifying a mission profile. Ultimately, the mission profile, which represents a usage that might span over several years, can be reduced to a shorter duration with a damage extraction technique. This is particularly useful for the definition of vibrating table specifications.

An advantage of the virtual vibrating table is the reduction of the number of prototypes and the understanding of failure modes. To achieve this objective, finite element analysis in the frequency domain (harmonic analysis) is used and the structural stress response is evaluated with a PSD loading. A statistical model of rainflow allows assessing the damage on the components. The presentation also shows the effects of the damping factor on damage results. To achieve accurate results and define a Digital Twin, the correlation between test results and the finite element analysis is fundamental. Experimental modal analysis, based on the measured acceleration responses, helps to validate calculated modal frequencies and to assess the damping for each mode. This study shows the importance and the sensitivity on damping of the structural response, and in turn on fatigue.