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AIXC-MAT-CS-003

Weld stress and fatigue in a welded chassis

Demonstration on generic geometry: tipper chassis with the load stated as an assumption and weld fatigue with finite elements. (1/2)Demonstration on generic geometry: tipper chassis with the load stated as an assumption and weld fatigue with finite elements. (2/2)
Demonstration on generic geometry: tipper chassis with the load stated as an assumption and weld fatigue with finite elements.
Question
Which chassis welds carry the most stress under the declared service load, and what fatigue life do they have? What changes if the part moves to another steel?
Method
Finite elements with finite elements; hot-spot stress fatigue to IIW [3] and EN 1993-1-9 [4].
Verify
Error < 0.3 % against the exact solution of a cantilever plate with the fine mesh (h/48); mesh convergence in every demonstration.
Result
Demonstration on a generic tipper chassis: weld stress and fatigue with the declared load as a hypothesis.
Limitations
The service load is a declared hypothesis, not a measurement. Feeding the DEM load directly into the fatigue calculation is under development.

Standards we work with

  • EN 1993-1-9 · IIWWe calculate to: fatigue of welded joints in chassis and bodywork
  • Reg. (EU) 2023/1230Strength and fatigue analysis is part of the technical file the manufacturer must hold (applicable from 20 January 2027)
  • What data do you need for a tipper or trailer?

    Drawings in DXF or STEP, current steel grade and thicknesses, the declared payload and the usual duty cycle (estimated number of load cycles over the vehicle's life).

  • We have no 3D drawings, only 2D paper plans.

    We work with 2D DXF drawings and, if needed, direct measurements from the prototype. We generate the finite-element mesh from the drawings you provide.

  • Does the report serve for the technical file under the new Machinery Regulation?

    Strength and fatigue analysis is part of the technical file the manufacturer must hold under Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, applicable from 20 January 2027.

  • Can you also calculate fatigue if we switch to a high-strength steel?

    Yes. If you want to move to S355, S690 or another steel with a higher yield strength, we calculate the fatigue life with the new material and tell you which thickness maintains the design life.

Propose a case

Describe your materials question in an email: the load of a bulk material, the fatigue of a weld, the wear of a plate or a clay blend. We will tell you whether it can become a case study and with which data.

Write to info@aixcresearch.com