Title: The derivation of structural usage profiles for vehicles from failure statistics

Authors: Johann Wannenburg, P. Stephan Heyns

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, P.O. Box 61587, Marshalltown, Johannesburg 2107, South Africa. ' Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, P.O. Box 61587, Marshalltown, Johannesburg 2107, South Africa

Abstract: A methodology is presented to derive a statistical fatigue loading profile of the total population of users of a vehicle model, from failure data recorded on the same or a previous model. The method is based on fitting a bivariate probability density function on normalised failure data. This is radically more economic than existing methods. Reasonable accuracy could be achieved, even if the failures represent only a small fraction of the total population. The two-parameter usage profile determined in this way offers a powerful approach to predict failures or derive statistically based durability test or design requirements.

Keywords: vehicle design; durability; fatigue loading profile; failure statistics; structural usage profiles; vehicle modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2008.020891

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2008 Vol.47 No.1/2/3/4, pp.269 - 289

Published online: 22 Oct 2008 *

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