Analytical assessment of low‐ and high‐cycle fatigue behavior of welded components considering the linear hardening model.

Welded components are highly vulnerable to fatigue failures due to stress concentrations and material imperfections. This study develops an analytical framework that predicts both high‐cycle (HCF) and low‐cycle (LCF) fatigue lives of welded joints using a structural strain parameter. By employing a linear hardening model, the method effectively translates structural stress into structural strain, providing a reliable metric for assessing fatigue life, especially in LCF conditions. Validated against experimental data from 62 longitudinal gusset joints, the approach proves both reliable and practical. This simplified method facilitates easier fatigue assessments, encouraging its wider use and potential standardization in engineering, thus improving the predictability of welded structures' performance. Highlights: An analytical framework is presented to assess the fatigue behavior of welded structures.The linear hardening law is introduced to capture the material hardening behavior.The analytical solutions for plane stress and plane strain conditions are provided.The method is applied to analyze 62 weldment fatigue data in both HCF and LCF regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]