Approximation of elastic-plastic local strains in surface-hardened notched components

Abstract

Elastic-plastic strains at points relevant for structural failures are usually approximated using formulas based on the stresses determined by elasticity theory. For this purpose, the Neuber approximation is a common method to estimate the local elastic-plastic strains in the notch root, although this is currently only approved for homogeneous components. For surfacehardened notched components, these approximation formulas need to be modified to cover two potential failure points: The notch root as well as the interface between the stronger surface layer and the weaker core material. In the following, a multi-step algorithm is shown that allows the estimation of elastic-plastic local strains at these two points, based on a single elasticitytheoretical solution. A comparison of the approximated values with those from finite element analyses (FEA) reveals that this results in only minor inaccuracies, while the usability is remarkable.