Grouped under the term fatigue tests, we can mention in particular the tensile/compression, alternating torsion and bending fatigue tests which constitute the most common fatigue tests.
The principle of these tests is relatively simple since it consists in reproducing in a cyclic way the mechanical stresses undergone during the whole operating life of the part.
This form of “accelerated aging” will allow us to better understand the life expectancy of the product, to determine an appropriate warranty period, to develop a preventive maintenance schedule, but also to highlight wear areas, failure points and mechanical weaknesses in order to consider design changes to improve the robustness and reliability of the product.
Moreover, the study of the fracture surfaces generated by fatigue tests is also an important source of information, firstly by determining the number of fatigue cycles applied since the initiation of the fracture, which allows us to obtain the number of fatigue cycles at the time of the appearance of the crack. These fracture surface examinations are carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled to a microprobe (SEM-EDX).