Two-stage fatigue loading of woven carbon fibre reinforced laminates

A brief review of the models used to predict the cumulative fatigue damage in FRP composites is presented. Two‐stage fatigue loading of a 0/90,± 45₂,0/90]_s quasi‐ isotropic woven carbon fibre/epoxy resin laminate was evaluated at stress ratio R = 0.05 and the failure mechanisms investigated using x‐radiography after each loading stage. The results are presented in terms of fatigue strength and damage growth and are compared with those in the literature. A low‐to‐high loading sequence is more damaging than a high‐to‐low one and the Palmgren‐Miner linear damage rule may no longer be valid for this kind of material, as previously reported.