Workflow for real-time simulation-based fatigue assessment in mobile machinery

Heavy machinery components are prone to fatigue-related damage, and the trend of using high-strength steels in structural design makes fatigue assessment increasingly important. For mobile machinery, simulation-based fatigue assessment is traditionally carried out during the design stage. Digital twin technology, which adds real-time sensor data to simulations, unlocks an opportunity to integrate fatigue assessment results into the control system, but it also introduces new challenges because of the real-time requirement for underlying simulations and analyses. In this paper, a workflow is proposed for real-time simulation-based fatigue assessment specifically adapted to heavy mobile machinery, and applicability of methods available for practical implementation is discussed.