A Note on the Shear Stress Criterion for Fatigue Failure under Combined Stress

Summary Nishihara’s combined bending and torsion out-of-phase fatigue limit data are analysed. The Tresca shear stress failure criterion predicts strengths up to 30 per cent higher than observed. It thus appears that renewed attention should be given to the basic problem of developing reliable combined stress failure criteria. It is suggested that new test methods will be required for this purpose.