Simplification approaches for multi-level load spectra by using equivalent damage rule

Reasonable and effective fatigue load spectrum is key of aircraft structural fatigue test. Two kinds of load spectra simplification approaches based on statistical consistent fatigue damage model are proposed in the paper. One method is to simplify the original multi-level load spectra to spectral load with fewer level and was verified by the experimental data of five levels and seven levels load spectra. The equivalent damage here is not equivalent fatigue life, but equivalent number of spectral blocks. Moreover, it was proved that a section of low stress load cannot be converted into the highest stress load considering equivalent damage. The other is to convert the life distribution under multi-level load spectra into that of constant amplitude spectrum according to a certain principle, that is, equivalent damage is achieved through equivalent fatigue life, and two groups of three levels spectral data were used for experimental verification. The results show that equivalent damage simplification approach of multi-level load spectra is feasible, and it achieve that the damage of one loading block before and after the simplification is equal in probability statistics. The life distribution of load simplified as constant amplitude spectrum is consistent with test data. The simplification method presented in this paper can be generalized and is a predictive engineering method which does not depend on experimental data.