STATUS & NEEDS OF CONSTRUCTION & AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE INDUSTRIES (MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR DESIGN & ANALYSIS PROCEDURES)

The combination of three basic techniques to create an integrated design analysis procedure for product durability is discussed. The needs of the ground vehicle industry to perform this type of design analysis are highlighted. Special emphasis is given to the needs related to material properties.

The design analysis system is based on:

1. 1.
   Analysis of customer usage patterns since they produce the loading a machine will experience in its useful lifetime.
2. 2.
   Characterization of available materials and their ability to resist different types of loading such as maximum loads, cyclic loads, impact, temperature, etc.
3. 3.
   Analysis procedures which include the appropriate failure models to relate the expected loads to known material capability in order to estimate service life.

It is important for industrywide cooperation to continue in creating a data base of material properties. The needed information should include standards for material description, test methods, data validation, and storage formats.