A method for the evaluation of a ratchet limit and the amplitude of plastic strain for bodies subjected to cyclic loading

An extension of the upper bound shakedown theorem to load histories in exce ss of shakedown has been presented elsewhere in this issue. Here the minimi sation process described therein is applied to the solutions of the ratchet limit as well as shakedown and limit load for a range of simple problems. The solutions provide an estimate of the maxima of the varying plastic stra in magnitudes, which is compared with the Neuber approximate values. The po sition of the ratchet boundary is confirmed by comparison step-by-step anal ysis. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.