Fatigue life prediction of matrix dominated polymer composite materials

Fatigue life prediction is investigated analytically for matrix dominated polymer composite laminates having nonlinear stress/strain response, based on the fatigue modulus concept. Fatigue modulus degardation rate at any fatigue cycle was assumed as a power function of number of fatigue cycles. A new stress function describing the relation of initial fatigue modulus and elastic modulus was used to account for material non‐linearity at the first cycle. It was assumed that fatigue modulus at failure is proportional to the applied stress level. A new fatigue life prediction equation as a function of applied stress is proposed. The prediction was verified experimentally using cross‐ply carbon/epoxy laminate (CFRP) tube under torsional fatigue loading. It is shown that the proposed equation has wide applicability and agrees well with experimental data.     

Enhanced fatigue life of carbon nanotube‐reinforced epoxy composites

The effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) inclusion on cyclic fatigue behavior and the residual mechanical properties of epoxy composites after different degrees of fatigue have been studied. Tension–tension cyclic fatigue tests were conducted at various load levels (25–50 MPa) to establish the relationship between stress and the number of cycles to failure (S–N curves). The residual strength and modulus were measured after loading at 30 MPa for 5000, 15,000, and 25,000 cycles. The incorporation of a small amount of CNTs increased the fatigue life of epoxy in the high‐cycle, low‐stress‐amplitude regime by 1550%. Micrographs indicate the key mechanisms for enhancement in fatigue life such as CNT crack‐bridging and pullout. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 52:1882–1887, 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Fatigue behavior of filament‐wound glass fiber reinforced epoxy composite tubes under tension/torsion biaxial loading

A study of filament‐wound glass fiber/epoxy composite tubes under biaxial fatigue loading is presented. The focus is placed on fatigue lives of tubular specimens under tension/torsion biaxial loading at low cycle up to 100,000 cycles. Filament‐wound glass‐fiber/epoxy tubular specimens with three different lay‐up configurations, namely [±35°]_n, [±55°]_n, and [±70°]_n lay‐ups, are subjected to in‐phase proportional biaxial cyclic loading conditions. The effects of winding angle and biaxiality ratio on the multiaxial fatigue performance of composites are discussed. Specimens are also tested under two cyclic stress ratio: R = 0 and R = −1. The experimental results reveal that both tensile and compressive loading have an influence on the multiaxial fatigue strength, especially for [±35°]_n specimens. A damage model proposed in the literature is applied to predict multiaxial fatigue life of filament‐wound composites and the predictions are compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the model is unsuitable for describing the multiaxial fatigue life under different cyclic stress ratios. POLYM. COMPOS. 28:116–123, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

A fatigue damage model for composite materials

Composite materials using polymer resins as matrices possess viscoelastic properties such that the fatigue behavior of the composite could be changed by different stress levels, stress ratio, stress frequency, or temperature. Based on a physical phenomenon of damage growth, this work develops a fatigue damage model including the nonlinear effects of stress ratio and stress frequency on the damage processes for carbon/epoxy composites. A damage index is defined and used to confirm the damage evolution behavior, and a series of fatigue tests of unidirectional specimens under monotonous loading and two‐stress level loading are conducted to test the proposed fatigue damage model. The results reveal that the proposed model could reasonably predict the fatigue life of composite materials under complicated loading conditions and it also includes the sequence effect of cyclic block loadings. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The fracture properties of a smart fiber metal laminate

This paper investigates the interfacial, tensile, and fatigue properties of a novel smart fiber‐metal laminate (FML) based on a nickel‐titanium (Ni‐Ti) shape memory alloy and a woven glass fiber reinforced epoxy. Initial tests, using the single cantilever beam (SCB) geometry, have shown that this unique system offers high values of metal‐composite interfacial fracture toughness. Tensile tests have shown that the mechanical properties of these FMLs lie between those offered by its constituent materials and that their tensile modulus and strength can be easily predicted using a rule of mixtures approach. Tension‐tension fatigue tests have shown that the fatigue performance of notched smart FMLs is superior to that offered by the plain Ni‐Ti alloy. A subsequent optical examination of unnotched laminates tested to failure under tension‐tension fatigue loading has shown that the fracture mechanisms occurring within the Ni‐Ti FMLs are strongly dependent on the applied cyclic stress. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:534–544, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Cyclic deformation behavior of an epoxy polymer. Part I: Experimental investigation

A series of uniaxial cyclic tests were carried out on solid cylindrical specimens of an epoxy resin, Epon 826/Epi‐Cure Curing Agent 9551. The focus of the study was to investigate time‐dependent viscoelastic behavior of this thermosetting polymer material under cyclic loading and to develop a constitutive model with the capabilities to simulate the observed deformation response. The tests include stress‐controlled or strain‐controlled cyclic loading with/without mean stress or mean strain at various amplitudes and loading rates. It was found that the cyclic stress‐strain response of this material is amplitude‐dependent and rate‐dependent, and the response to axial tension is different from that in compression. The stress‐strain loops exhibit more pronounced nonlinearity with high amplitudes or low loading rates. For stress‐controlled cyclic loading with mean stress, ratcheting strain is accumulated, which is of viscoelastic nature, and this is confirmed by its full recovery after load removal. For strain‐controlled cyclic loading with mean strain, the mean stress relaxation occurs, which contributes to the observed longer life in comparison to the stress‐controlled cyclic loading with mean stress. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2240–2246, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Tensile and Fatigue Behavior of Silicon Carbide Fiber-Reinforced Aluminosilicate Glass

The onset of damage accumulation in ceramic-matrix composites occurs as matrix microcracking and fiber/matrix debonding. Tension tests were used to determine the stress and strain levels to first initiate microcracking in both unidirectional and cross-ply laminates of silicon carbide fiber-reinforced aluminosilicate glass. Tension–tension fatigue tests were then conducted at stress levels below and above the matrix cracking stress level. At stress levels below matrix microcracking, no loss in stiffness occurred. At stresses above matrix cracking, the elastic modulus of the unidirectional specimens exhibited a gradual decrease during the first 10 000 cycles, and then stabilized. However, the cross-ply material sustained most of the damage on the first loading cycle. It is shown that fatigue life can be related to nonlinear stress–strain behavior of the 0° plies, and that the cyclic strain limit was approximately 0.3%.     

Fatigue behavior and life prediction of PI/SiO2 nanocomposite films

In this report, the fatigue behavior and lifetime of Polyimide/silica (PI/SiO₂) hybrid films are investigated. To evaluate the fatigue property of this class of hybrid films, the stress‐life cyclic experiments under tension–tension fatigue loading with 10 Hz of the frequency are performed, and the stress ratio is 0.1. Dynamic creep and cyclic softening/hardening are analyzed based on the change of hysteresis loops during the fatigue process. The structure‐property relations are discussed to further understand their phenomenon and deformation mechanisms. To predict the fatigue life of this class of hybrid films, a semiempirical model is proposed based on fatigue modulus concept. The simulated results are well agreeable with the testing values. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Fatigue performance of an injection‐molded short E‐glass fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6,6. I. Effects of orientation,holes, and weld line

This article presents the experimental results of stress‐controlled fatigue tests of an injection‐molded 33 wt% short E‐glass fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6,6. The effects of specimen orientation with respect to the flow direction, hole stress concentration, and weld line on the fatigue life have been considered. In addition, the effect of cyclic frequency has been examined. In addition to the modulus and tensile strength, the fatigue strength of the material was significantly higher in the flow direction than normal to the flow direction, indicating inherent anisotropy of the material caused by flow‐induced orientation of fibers. The presence of weld line reduced the modulus, tensile strength, failure strain, and fatigue strength. The fatigue strength of specimens with a hole was lower than that of un‐notched specimens, but was insensitive to the hole diameter. At cyclic frequencies ≤ 2 Hz, failure was due to fatigue, and fatigue life increased with frequency. However, at cyclic frequencies > 2 Hz, the failure mode was a mixture of fatigue and thermal failures, and fatigue life decreased with increasing frequency. POLYM. COMPOS., 27:230–237, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Damage development and lifetime prediction of cross-ply ceramic-matrix composites subjected to cyclic loading at room and elevated temperatures

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the damage development and lifetime prediction of fibre-reinforced ceramic-matrix composites subjected to cyclic loading at elevated temperatures in oxidising atmosphere have been investigated. Considering the damage mechanisms of matrix cracking, interface debonding, interface wear and interface oxidation, the damage evolution of fatigue hysteresis dissipated energy, fatigue hysteresis modulus, fatigue peak strain, interface shear stress and broken fibres fraction have been analysed. The relationships between damage parameters and internal damage of matrix cracking, interface debonding and slipping, and fibres fracture have been established. The experimental fatigue hysteresis, interface slip lengths, peak strain, and the fatigue life curves of cross-ply CMCs under cyclic loading at elevated temperature have been predicted. The different fatigue behaviour in unidirectional and cross-ply CMCs at room and elevated temperatures subjected to low-cycle and high-cycle fatigue has been discussed.     

Statistical fatigue strength evaluation and inelastic deformation generated during static and cyclic loading in Ce-TZP/alumina nanocomposite: Part 1—in air environment

The statistical fatigue strength evaluations of an intragranular type Ce-TZP/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite (Ce-TZP/A-N), such as its initial strength, static and cyclic fatigue lives, and its dispersion, were investigated in comparison to 3Y-TZP. The strength degradations during static and cyclic loading of Ce-TZP/A-N were fairly small, and the dispersions of the fatigue life were also quite small compared to those of 3Y-TZP, especially for the case of cyclic loading. In addition, fairly large inelastic deformations (converted strain ≈0.1–0.3%) were observed in the non-failure fatigued specimens after both static and cyclic loading. The amount of inelastic deformations was generally higher under the static loading than under cyclic loading, and increased with increasing the applied stress. In contrast, no inelastic deformation was identified for 3Y-TZP. By means of X-ray diffraction analysis, a good correlation between the amount of inelastic strain and the transformed monoclinic content was recognized for both static and cyclic loading.     

Deformation behavior of an epoxy resin subject to multiaxial loadings. Part I: Experimental investigations

The mechanical behavior of an epoxy resin (Epon 826) was studied by performing a series of tests on thin‐walled tubular specimens. These tests deal with different aspects of the mechanical behavior of this epoxy resin. The deformation behavior, such as viscoelastic behavior, hydrostatic stress effect, multiaxial behavior and loading path effect, was investigated. It was found that the Epon 826 epoxy resin is a highly nonlinear viscoelastic material. The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the deformation behavior of this epoxy is not significant. However, it shows different tensile and compressive deformation behavior. The loading path was found to have an observable effect on the deformation response of this epoxy, especially in the high stress/strain range.     

Push-Pull Fatigue of Sintered Silicon Nitride Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures

The fatigue tests under push-pull completely reversed loading and pulsating loading were performed for silicon nitride ceramics at elevated temperatures. Then the effects of stress wave form, stress rate, and cyclic understressing on fatigue strength, and cyclic straining behavior, were examined. The cycle-number-based fatigue life is found to be shorter under trapezoidal stress wave loading than under triangular stress wave loading, and to become shorter with increasing hold time under the trapezoidal stress wave loading. Meanwhile, the equivalent time-based life curve, which is estimated from the concept of slow crack growth, almost agrees with the static fatigue life curve in the short and intermediate life regions, showing the small cyclic stress effect and the dominant stress-imposing period effect on cyclic fatigue life. The fatigue strength increased in stepwise stress amplitude increasing test, where stress amplitude is increased stepwise every given number of stress cycles, at 1100° and 1200°C. Occurrence of cyclic strengthening was proved through a gradual decrease in strain amplitude during a pulsating loading test at 1200°C in this material, corresponding to the above cyclic understressing effect on fatigue strength.     

Damage Development and Moduli Reductions in Nicalon—Calcium Aluminosilicate Composites under Static Fatigue and Cyclic Fatigue

Unidirectional and cross-ply Nicalon fiber-reinforced calcium aluminosilicate (CAS) glass-ceramic composite specimens were subjected to tension–tension cyclic fatigue and static fatigue loadings. Microcrack densities, longitudinal Young's modulus, and major Poisson's ratio were measured at regular intervals of load cycles and load time. The matrix crack (0° plies) density and transverse crack (90° plies) density increased gradually with fatigue cycles and load time. The crack growth is environmentally driven and depends on the maximum load and time. Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio decreased gradually with fatigue cycles and load time. The saturation crack densities under fatigue loadings were found to be comparable to those under monotonic loading. A matrix crack growth limit strain exists, below which matrix cracks do not grow significantly under fatigue loading. This limit coincides with the matrix crack initiation strain. Linear correlations between crack density and moduli reductions obtained from quasi-static data can predict the moduli reductions under cyclic loading, using experimentally measured crack densities. A logarithmic correlation can predict the Young's modulus reduction in a limited stress range. A fatigue crack growth model is proposed to explain the presence of two distinct regimes of crack growth and Young's modulus reduction.     

纳米碳酸钙改性再生混凝土疲劳性能

为研究纳米改性再生混凝土的疲劳性能,对其疲劳寿命进行估计并建立疲劳方程。以不同再生骨料取代率(0%、30%、50%,质量分数)与纳米CaCO₃掺量(0%、1%,质量分数)为主要影响因素,设计了不同应力水平(0.75、0.80、0.85)下的疲劳循环加载试验。结果表明:混凝土的弹性模量随再生粗骨料取代率的增大而减小,掺入纳米CaCO₃可以提高混凝土的弹性模量并优化破坏形态,有效提升整体性;循环荷载下的疲劳寿命随最大应力水平增大而快速缩短,1%的纳米CaCO₃改性可以使疲劳寿命延长60%;以双对数S-N(应力水平-疲劳寿命)曲线建立疲劳寿命方程,并推导出考虑寿命概率的P-S-N曲线,得到的相关系数随再生粗骨料取代率的增加而快速减小,经纳米改性后有所增大;再生混凝土的疲劳应变演化基本符合三阶段应变曲线发展规律,提出新方程描述再生混凝土第二阶段应变曲线,并建立变形量与循环比的关系式。     

Influence of Loading Frequency on the Room-Temperature Fatigue of a Carbon-Fiber/SiC-Matrix Composite

The influence of cyclic loading frequency on the tensile fatigue life of a woven-carbon-fiber/SiC-matrix composite was examined at room temperature. Tension-tension fatigue experiments were conducted under load control, at sinusoidal frequencies of 1, 10, and 50 Hz. Using a stress ratio (σ_min/σ_max) of 0.1, specimens were subjected to maximum fatigue stresses of 310 to 405 MPa. There were two key findings: (1) the fatigue life and extent of modulus decay were influenced by loading frequency and (2) the postfatigue monotonic tensile strength increased after fatigue loading. For loading frequencies of 1 and 10 Hz, the fatigue limit (defined at 1 × 10⁶ cycles) was approximately 335 MPa, which is over 80% of the initial monotonic strength of the composite; at 50 Hz, the fatigue limit was below 310 MPa. During 1- and 10-Hz fatigue at a maximum stress of 335 MPa, the modulus exhibited an initially rapid decrease, followed by a partial recovery; at 50 Hz, and the same stress limits, the modulus continually decayed. The residual strength of the composite increased by approximately 20% after 1 × 10⁶ fatigue cycles at 1 or 10 Hz under a peak stress of 335 MPa. The increase in strength is attributed in part to a decrease in the stress concentrations present near the crossover points of the 0° and 90° fiber bundles.     

Fatigue behavior and modeling of thermoplastics including temperature and mean stress effects

An experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate fatigue behaviors of two thermoplastics. The effects considered include mold flow direction, thickness, mean stress, temperature, and frequency. Tension‐compression as well as tension?tension load‐controlled fatigue tests were performed at room temperature, ?40°C and 85°C. Incremental step cyclic deformation tests were also performed to generate cyclic stress?strain curves to determine strain‐life fatigue properties. The effect of mean stress was modeled using various parameters. The Walker mean stress model and a simple model with a mean stress sensitivity factor proved to be the most effective models to correlate the wide range of experimental data generated. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:725–738, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Accelerated fatigue properties of unidirectional carbon/epoxy composite materials

It has been confirmed that polymer matrix composites possess viscoelastic behavior. This means that one could accelerate the fatigue testing by changing the stress amplitude, frequency, or temperature. This study is to investigate the accelerated fatigue properties, which are resulted from the viscoelastic behavior, of carbon/epoxy composites and to predict their fatigue life. For this purpose, a series of fatigue tests of unidirectional specimens are conducted at room temperature under different stress ratios and stress frequencies. A group of sigmoid S‐N curves, which are suitable for the whole fatigue life, and the corresponding parameters are developed for different cyclic loading conditions. A transformation method, which can transform a reference S‐N curve to the corresponding S‐N curve of the assigned fatigue conditions, is established by the parameters. And this S‐N curve can be utilized to predict the fatigue life of the composite at the assigned stress ratio or stress frequency. The comparison between the linear and sigmoid S‐N curves is also carried out to show the advantages of the latter model in the whole fatigue life. POLYM. COMPOS., 27:138–146, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of notch size on the fatigue damage behaviour of toughened epoxy adhesive specimens

ABSTRACT

In the present work the influence of notch size on the fatigue damage behaviour of toughened epoxy adhesive specimens is investigated. Notched and un-notched bulk adhesive specimens were fatigue tested at room temperature under tension-tension cyclic loading at a stress ratio of 0.1. The investigation was based on the analysis of fatigue life (SN) and stiffness degradation curves, which were correlated with notch size and applied stress. Finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out in order to evaluate the notch-dependent stress concentrations. Fatigue results evidenced a reduction of lifespan with increased applied stress amplitude and a possible relationship between the inverse slope of SN curves and notch size. Most notched samples exhibited lower fatigue strength in comparison to un-notched, except in the low cycle fatigue range where un-notched and notched samples had similar fatigue strength. Stiffness degradation showed a correlation with applied stress, i.e. an increase in applied stress was accompanied by faster and stronger degradation. For higher loads, un-notched and 0.2 mm notch samples presented greater stiffness degradation prior to failure than other notched samples.     

Plasticity-Induced Fatigue Damage in Ceria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals

Current studies on the fatigue lifetime of ceramics are mostly focused on the relation between the stress amplitude (or maximum Stress) and cycles to failure. For a more compliant and plastic ceramic which has a pronounced nonlinear stress–strain relation, the role of plastic strain in the fatigue damage is investigated for the first time in this study using a 12 mol% Ce-TZP. By testing at different temperatures, we were able to vary the amount of transformation plasticity with the same microstructure. The Coffin–Manson relationship, which suggests that fatigue lifetime in the low cycle fatigue regime is best correlated with the plastic strain range, was confirmed for the tough ceramic. Fatigue damage is found to be a bulk process which continuously degrades flaw tolerance by microcracking. Evidence for the latter mechanism was also provided by uniaxial cyclic tension–compression stress–strain response and by TEM examination. Despite such damage, the possibility of plasticity-induced surface-crack nucleation in fatiguing ceramics, unlike in metals, appears unimportant.