On the assessment of fatigue damage via damping evolution

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2026

Abstract

The evolution of damping parameters in stainless steel 316 (SS316) under cyclic loading is investigated to monitor its structural integrity and establish a non-destructive testing framework for fatigue damage assessment. Fatigue tests spanning both low- and high-cycle regimes (104 up to 106 cycles) were conducted with concurrent monitoring of damping factor via the Impulse Excitation Technique (IET), cyclic stiffness degradation, temperature rise, and hysteresis energy dissipation. Results reveal a characteristic three-phase damping evolution: a rapid initial increase of up to 80 % within the first 10 % of life, stabilization during mid-life, and an accelerated increase before failure. A damping-based damage model incorporating thermal effects is proposed,where D=α(1+βΔT)[eγ(ψψ0-1)-1], with material-specific constants calibrated for SS316 using nonlinear regression. The model demonstrates excellent agreement with continuum damage mechanics predictions, validating damping measurements as a reliable indicator of fatigue damage. The established correlations between damping evolution, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation provide a comprehensive framework for non-destructive fatigue life assessment in metallic materials.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

International Journal of Fatigue

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