| Abstract: | By taking into account the effect due to the finiteness of the specimen's size, stochastic fatigue crack propagation processes are investigated on the basis of a Markov approximation method. Since the limiting property proved by Koiter causes a particular kind of singularity on the governing equation, the so-called death point must be introduced into the range of finite crack size. In the present study, the Fokker-Planck equation in a generalized sense is derived for such a particular case, and the influence of the specimen's size on the statistical properties of the residual life of the component is clarified by the use of numerical calculations. |
