Ermüdungskurven

Ermüdungskurven, also known as S-N curves or Wöhler curves, are graphical representations used in materials science and engineering to illustrate the fatigue behavior of a material. They plot the stress amplitude (S) against the number of cycles (N) to failure. The stress amplitude is typically the alternating stress that a material can withstand. The number of cycles to failure is the total number of load cycles a material can endure before fracturing.

These curves are crucial for understanding and predicting how materials will perform under cyclic loading conditions, such as those experienced by aircraft components, automotive parts, and bridges. At high stress amplitudes, materials will fail after a relatively small number of cycles. As the stress amplitude decreases, the number of cycles a material can withstand before failure increases. For many materials, there exists a fatigue limit or endurance limit, below which the material can theoretically withstand an infinite number of cycles without fracturing.

The generation of Ermüdungskurven involves conducting fatigue tests on multiple specimens of the same material. Each specimen is subjected to a different stress amplitude, and the number of cycles to failure is recorded. The data points are then plotted on a logarithmic scale to create the curve. Factors such as surface finish, material defects, temperature, and the presence of corrosive environments can significantly influence the shape and position of the Ermüdungskurve. Therefore, it is important to consider these factors when interpreting the results and applying them to real-world engineering applications.