Fatigue life assessment using Continuum Damage Mechanics for Constant Amplitude Loading

The present work has the purpose to improve the virtual testing analysis for the fatigue life assessment, expanding the prediction capabilities to include the case of a Constant Amplitude Loading (CAL) condition. This kind of testing will be performed through the usage of the Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) that uses the Finite Element Method (FEM) to predict the time and location of the crack initiation in a structure, together with the path and growth speed: for this purpose, two different type of notched specimens with two different stress concentration factors will be used for the simulations. The specimens under tests are going to be made on Aluminium 7075-T6, one of the most widely used in the modern aerostructures.