Pages 730-735
In establishing a long life fatigue design criterion and estimating the reliability of the spot-welded thin sheet structure such as the automobile and train, it is necessary to estimate the fatigue strength of spot-welded joint. So far, many investigators have numerically and experimentally studied on the method of systematic fatigue strength estimation for various spot-welded joint. Also considerable amount of data on the fatigue strength of spot-welded joint has been accumulated. But, it is difficult to determine the fatigue design criterion based on the existing data when the fatigue design is modified. Therefore, many test were required to determine a new criterion for modified design. It takes a lot of money and time. Thus, an expert system was developed to predict the fatigue design criterion including the fatigue strength and to predict fatigue life of spot-welded joint. The expert system consists of material destination database, spot-welding condition database and fatigue design module. And this expert system was developed based on the knowledge base, numerical calculation module, interface engine and user interface. It is expected that the expert system can economically provide a designer and manufacture with useful information on the material properties and predicting the fatigue design criterion for modified design.
