Fatigue life under non-Gaussian random loading from various models

Fatigue test results on the 10HNAP steel under constant amplitude and random loading with non-Gaussian probability distribution function, zero mean value and wide-band frequency spectrum have been used to compare the life time estimation of the models proposed by Bannantine, Fatemi–Socie, Socie, Wang–Brown, Morel and Łagoda–Macha. Except the Morel proposal which accumulates damage step by step with a proper ethodology, all the other models use a cycle counting method. The rainflow algorithm is used to extract cycles from random histories of damage parameters in time domain. In the last model, where a strain energy density parameter is employed, additionally spectral method is evaluated for fatigue life calculation in the frequency domain. The best and very similar results of fatigue life assessment have been obtained using the models proposed by Socie and by Łagoda–Macha, both in time and frequency domains for the last one.With the support of the Commission of the European Communities under the FP5, GROWTH Programme, contract No. G1MA-CT-2002-04058 (CESTI)

Fatigue life under non-Gaussian random loading from various models

Fatigue test results on the 10HNAP steel under constant amplitude and random loading with non-Gaussian probability distribution function, zero mean value and wide-band frequency spectrum have been used to compare the life time estimation of the models proposed by Bannantine, Fatemi–Socie, Socie, Wang–Brown, Morel and Łagoda–Macha. Except the Morel proposal which accumulates damage step by step with a proper ethodology, all the other models use a cycle counting method. The rainflow algorithm is used to extract cycles from random histories of damage parameters in time domain. In the last model, where a strain energy density parameter is employed, additionally spectral method is evaluated for fatigue life calculation in the frequency domain. The best and very similar results of fatigue life assessment have been obtained using the models proposed by Socie and by Łagoda–Macha, both in time and frequency domains for the last one.With the support of the Commission of the European Communities under the FP5, GROWTH Programme, contract No. G1MA-CT-2002-04058 (CESTI)

Harmonizing and improving European education in prescribing: An overview of digital educational resources used in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics

Aim: Improvement and harmonization of European clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education is urgently required. Because digital educational resources can be easily shared, adapted to local situations and re-used widely across a variety of educational systems, they may be ideally suited for this purpose. Methods: With a cross-sectional survey among principal CPT teachers in 279 out of 304 European medical schools, an overview and classification of digital resources was compiled. Results: Teachers from 95 (34%) medical schools in 26 of 28 EU countries responded, 66 (70%) of whom used digital educational resources in their CPT curriculum. A total of 89 of such resources were described in detail, including e-learning (24%), simulators to teach pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics (10%), virtual patients (8%), and serious games (5%). Together, these resources covered 235 knowledge-based learning objectives, 88 skills, and 13 attitudes. Only one third (27) of the resources were in-part or totally free and only two were licensed open educational resources (free to use, distribute and adapt). A narrative overview of the largest, free and most novel resources is given. Conclusion: Digital educational resources, ranging from e-learning to virtual patients and games, are widely used for CPT education in EU medical schools. Learning objectives are based largely on knowledge rather than skills or attitudes. This may be improved by including more real-life clinical case scenarios. Moreover, the majority of resources are neither free nor open. Therefore, with a view to harmonizing international CPT education, more needs to be learned about why CPT teachers are not currently sharing their educational materials

EurOP2E – the European Open Platform for Prescribing Education, a consensus study among clinical pharmacology and therapeutics teachers

Purpose Sharing and developing digital educational resources and open educational resources has been proposed as a way to harmonize and improve clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education in European medical schools. Previous research, however, has shown that there are barriers to the adoption and implementation of open educational resources. The aim of this study was to determine perceived opportunities and barriers to the use and creation of open educational resources among European CPT teachers and possible solutions for these barriers. Methods CPT teachers of British and EU medical schools completed an online survey. Opportunities and challenges were identified by thematic analyses and subsequently discussed in an international consensus meeting. Results Data from 99 CPT teachers from 95 medical schools were analysed. Thirty teachers (30.3%) shared or collaboratively produced digital educational resources. All teachers foresaw opportunities in the more active use of open educational resources, including improving the quality of their teaching. The challenges reported were language barriers, local differences, lack of time, technological issues, difficulties with quality management, and copyright restrictions. Practical solutions for these challenges were discussed and include a peer review system, clear indexing, and use of copyright licenses that permit adaptation of resources. Conclusion Key challenges to making greater use of CPT open educational resources are a limited applicability of such resources due to language and local differences and quality concerns. These challenges may be resolved by relatively simple measures, such as allowing adaptation and translation of resources and a peer review system

Modelowanie efektu gradient naprężeń na trwałość zmęczeniową przy zastosowaniu funkcji bazującej na rozkładzie Weibulla

In the present paper, a new approach is developed in order to take into account the stress gradient effect on fatigue life of structural components. The proposed approach is based on the weakest link concept in which the shape coefficient of the Weibull distribution becomes a function of a local damage parameter. The function simulates the experimentally observed relationship between the shape of the fatigue life distribution and the stress level. Such an approach allows one to calculate the global probability distribution of the fatigue life for notched structural components in a wide range of fatigue life regime: 10⁴-10⁷ cycles typically. For comparison purposes, the approach is applied to calculate the number of cycles to crack initiation of structural elements under three probability levels: 5%, 63% and 95%. The calculated lifetimes are compared with the lifetimes obtained from experiments performed on notched cruciform specimens and notched round specimens subjected to constant amplitude loading.W artykule zaprezentowano nową koncepcję uwzględnienia wpływu gradientu naprężeń na trwałość zmęczeniową elementów konstrukcyjnych. Przedstawione podejście bazuje na koncepcji najsłabszego ogniwa, w której współczynnik kształtu rozkładu Weibulla jest funkcją lokalnego parametru uszkodzenia. Zaproponowana funkcja symuluje obserwowany eksperymentalnie związek między kształtem rozkładu trwałości zmęczeniowej a amplitudą naprężenia. Podejście takie umożliwia wyznaczenie globalnego rozkładu prawdopodobieństwa zniszczenia dla elementów z karbem w szerokim zakresie trwałości: 10⁴-10⁷ cykli. Dla celów porównawczych zaproponowane podejście zostało zastosowane do obliczenia liczby cykli do inicjacji pęknięcia dla trzech poziomów prawdopodobieństwa, tj. 5%, 63% oraz 95%. Obliczone trwałości zmęczeniowe zostały porównane z trwałością eksperymentalną otrzymaną dla próbek krzyżowych z karbem oraz dla próbek cylindrycznych z karbem obrączkowym

Application du concept de maillon faible à un critère d'endurance multiaxial

En fatigue à grand nombre de cycle, il est aujourd'hui admis que la distribution des contraintes, ainsi que la taille des composants, sont responsables de variations de la limite de fatigue. Sous chargement uniaxial ou multiaxial, on peut montrer qu'une approche statistique dite du maillon le plus faible, combiné à un critère multiaxial d'endurance basé sur une analyse micro plastique, permet de prédire la limite de fatigue de plusieurs matériaux métalliques. Quatre types de chargement sont analysés (traction-compression, torsion, flexion rotative et flexion plane), puis comparées aux résultats expérimentaux, pour une fonte et deux aciers haute résistance. L'approche statistique proposée permet d'intégrer un certain nombre d'aspects : la dispersion des données pour tous types de chargement, l'effet de gradient et l'influence de la présence de défauts matériaux. Enfin, ce modèle rend également compte de la diminution de la limite de fatigue avec l'augmentation du volume contraint. Les prédictions des probabilités de rupture sont raisonnables bien que seules des limites de fatigue relatives à des probabilités de rupture de 50% soient utilisées pour l'identification des paramètres du modèle