A Review of Miner's Rule and Subsequent Generalizations for Calculating Expected Fatigue Life

Abstract : The paper re-examines the physical assumptions which were made by the originators of the Miner-Palgren Rule for the calculation of fatigue life and cites publications which show that these assumptions, called the linear cumulative damage hypotheses, are contrary to our present knowledge about actual fatigue behavior. However, work is also discussed which provides evidence that Miner's Rule is better on the average in engineering applications than any other rule for fatigue life which has been advanced. The recent technical papers which resolve this supposed contradiction are referenced and the implications of their results explained in full detail. (Author)