Simulation-based investigation of the reuse of unbroken specimens in a staircase procedure: Accuracy of the determination of fatigue properties

An evaluation of fatigue property determination using numerical simulation is presented for a variant of the staircase procedure with the reuse of unbroken specimens. The simulated staircases are analysed with the Maximum Likelihood Estimation method to obtain the fatigue parameters: the median fatigue limit and the coefficient of variation. For each condition, 1000 staircases are simulated and evaluated to obtain a statistical study. The gain on the fatigue scatter uncertainties with the variant procedure is highlighted. However, an assumption on the damage accumulation must be stated when reloading specimens up to their failure. Thus, staircases are simulated with damage consideration.