5. Organization of validation tests

The various models presented for assessing damage and service life under real-life conditions are based on various types of analysis of the stresses measured on a mechanical system or component. These models are also used to define test environments that should produce consequences similar to those observed in real-life conditions.

• Experimental resources are becoming increasingly sophisticated, enabling us to reproduce in the laboratory the stresses recorded in real-life conditions. These types of tests are designed to validate mechanical calculation models and are not intended to support the service life estimated by the models presented above. Such validation would be far too time-consuming. In fact, the need to reduce product validation times means that, wherever possible, tests should be carried out for shorter and shorter periods, and...