Prediction of Failure Stress of Rocker Arm Shaft using FEM and Striation

As a result of vehicle maintenance of rocker arm shaft for 4-cylinder SOHC engine, failure stress analysis of rocker arm shaft is needed. Because more than 30% of vehicles investigated have been fractured. Failure stress analysis is classified into an naked eyes, microscope, striation and X-ray fractography etc. Failure stress analysis by using striation is already established technology as means for seeking cause of fracture. But, although it is well known that striation spacing corresponds to the crack growth rate da/dN, it is not possible to determine under service loading only from striation spacing. This is because the value of striation spacing is influenced not only by but also by the stress ratio R. In the present paper, we determine the stress ratio using orthogonal array and ANOVA, and propose a prediction method of failure stress which is combined with FEM and striation.