Fatigue tests

High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) tests evaluate resistance to low-intensity stresses with a high number of cycles (>10⁵), while Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) tests test materials subjected to high stresses for a limited number of cycles (<10⁵). The tests can be performed by applying loads up to 250kN, with frequencies up to 100Hz, depending on customer requirements, using MTS instrumentation.

Our test benches allow fatigue tests with pulsating pressure to be carried out on components such as pipes, manifolds and liquid-cooled automotive components. Pulsating pressure tests can be carried out in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment, even using flammable liquids thanks to nitrogen-inerted explosion-proof chambers. The test can reach high pressures of up to 500 bar and a frequency of 15 Hz and can be carried out with oil or coolant.

A useful fatigue test conducted at room temperature using suitable specimens (CT) is the fracture mechanics test (fatigue crack growth – FCG), which allows the resistance to crack propagation on various materials to be studied. The crack propagation speed test is a powerful tool for calculating the speed at which a crack advances. The value is expressed as a linear length for each cycle: once the stress (ΔK) has been set, the aim is to determine the threshold stress state (ΔKth). Below this value, the crack propagation speed can be considered negligible, as can the coefficients “C” and “m” that characterise Paris's law.

This test evaluates the resistance of a material or component to cyclic bending stresses, simulating load conditions that vary over time. It is widely used to test shafts, axles and mechanical components subject to continuous rotation.

This test subjects the sample to alternating tensile and compressive stresses, determining the number of cycles before failure, and is essential for the aerospace, automotive and railway industries, where materials are subjected to variable loads.

The thermomechanical fatigue test simulates cyclic stress conditions in the presence of thermal variations, replicating extreme operating environments, such as in aircraft engines and components for the energy sector. This test evaluates the interaction between mechanical stress and thermal expansion.

This test is specific for components subject to cyclic contact loads, such as bearings, gears and railway tracks. It simulates the progressive degradation caused by friction and repeated pressure between contact surfaces.

This test subjects the material to cyclic stresses in aggressive environments (humidity, salt spray, acidic or basic solutions) to study the interaction between mechanical fatigue and corrosion. It is crucial for the offshore, oil & gas and nautical sectors.