Fatigue and Wear: Understanding Material Degradation

This lecture covers the concepts of fatigue and wear in materials science, focusing on the relationship between stress, cycles to failure, and material degradation. Topics include the Wöhler curves, fatigue with low and high cycle numbers, adaptation of fatigue laws, and the impact of mean stress on fatigue resistance. The instructor explains how to interpret Wöhler curves, the effects of stress amplitude on fatigue, and the role of empirical laws in fatigue analysis. Additionally, the lecture delves into the fatigue of cracked materials, stress concentrations, and the importance of endurance limits in material testing.