Wu Pingbo

PROBABILISTIC MODELS FOR LONG FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH RATES OF LZ50 AXLE STEEL

Experimental study is performed on the probabilistic models for the long fatigue crack growth rates (da/dN) of LZ50 axle steel. An equation for crack growth rate was derived to consider the trend of stress intensity factor range going down to the threshold and the average stress effect. The probabilistic models were presented on the equation. They consist of the probabilistic da/dN-ΔK relations, the confidence-based da/dN-ΔK relations, and the probabilistic- and confidence-based da/dN-ΔK relations. Efforts were made respectively to characterize the effects of probabilistic assessments due to the scattering regularity of test data, the number of sampling, and both of them. These relations can provide wide selections for practice. Analysis on the test data of LZ50 steel indicates that the present models are available and feasible.

New method for measuring random thresholds of long fatigue crack propagation

A so-called “local probabilistic Paris relation method” was presented for measuring the random thresholds of long fatigue crack propagation. A check was made to the conventional method, in which the thresholds were measured statistically and directly by the test data. It was revealed that this method was not reasonable because the test data have seldom a unified level of crack growth rates. Differently, in the presented method the Paris-Erdogan equation was applied to model the local test data around the thresholds. Local probabilistic relations with both the survival probability and the confidence were established on a lognormal distribution of the stress density factors. And then, the probabilistic thresholds were derived from the probabilistic factors with a given critical level of growth rate. An analysis on the test data of LZ50 axle steel for the Chinese railway vehicles verifies that the present method is feasible and available.

Global stability in hopfield neural networks with distributed time delays

In this paper, without assuming the boundedness, monotonicity and differentiability of the activation functions, the conditions ensuring existence, uniqueness, and global asymptotical stability of the equilibrium point of Hopfield neural network models with distributed time delays are studied. Using M-matrix theory and constructing proper Liapunov functionals, the sufficient conditions for global asymptotic stability are obtained.

Notice of Retraction Fatigue life initiative reliability design method of welded bogie frame of railway vehicles

In this paper, the fracture problems appearing in operation and the reasons of the welded bogie frames of railway vehicles were explained firstly, and the current design situation of fatigue life and reliability of bogie frame were summarized. The railway vehicle design standard, which plays a decisive role in the bogie frame design, was analyzed. The traditional determining value method by using safety coefficient to ensure sufficient strength should be replaced by the probabilistic reliability method. The fatigue life initiative reliability design for the welded bogie frame was studied, and the implementation means and steps were given. Finally, some difficulties of utilizing the method of fatigue life initiative reliability to design welded bogie frame were put forward.