The Problem of Fatigue Strength in Aircraft Structures: A Survey with Recommendations for Design Rules based on Recent Research Available to Purchase

IN aircraft construction, until about fifteen years ago, the customary static method of stressing generally also provided for an adequate fatigue strength. This does not now apply for various reasons (e.g. increased flight speeds, use of high‐strength materials with changed fatigue properties). It is, therefore, necessary to establish design rules which take account of more recent knowledge; which variables are to be specially considered, and what their importance is in a particular case, becomes clear from fatigue tests which, to a considerable extent, cater for the peculiar loading conditions of flight (service endurance tests or programme‐loading tests). The principle of these tests was established in the DVL (1938 to 1941) and it is now in general use in automobile design for determining the relation between fatigue strength and endurance (life function) as in many cases of service failures a very good agreement with these tests can be observed.