Neural network representation of fatigue damage dynamics

This paper proposes a neural network implementation of a model of fatigue damage dynamics which allows the damage information on critical plant components to be integrated with the plant dynamics for both online life prediction and off-line control synthesis. The aim is to alleviate the problem of slow computation via conventional numerical methods. The results of simulation experiments reveal that a neural network algorithm could be used as an intelligent instrument for online monitoring of fatigue damage and also as a tool for failure prognostics and service life prediction