Cyclic stress or fluctuating stress is defined as the repetitive and continuous fluctuation of a stress.
Figure 1 shows a cyclic load (stress) plot where,
Mean Stress, σm = ½(σmax + σmin)
Stress Amplitude (Alternating Stress), σa = ½(σmax – σmin)
Stress Range, Δa = σmax – σmin
Fatigue Stress Ratio, R = σmin/σmax
Read more on cyclic stress cycles here.
This page is part of The Encyclopedia of Stresses in Solids