Fatigue residual strength of circular laminate graphite–epoxy composite plates damaged by transverse load

The research dealt with the relation between damage and tension–tension fatigue residual strength (FRS) in a quasi-isotropic carbon fibre reinforced epoxy resin laminate. The work was organized in two phases: during the first one, composite laminates were damaged by means of an out-of-plane quasi-static load that was supposed to simulate a low velocity impact; in the second phase, fatigue tests were performed on damaged and undamaged specimens obtained from the original composite laminates. During the quasi-static transverse loading phase, damage progression was monitored by means of acoustic emission (AE) technique. The measurement of the strain energy accumulated in the specimens and of the acoustic energy released by fracture events made it possible to estimate the amount of induced damage and evaluate the quasi-static residual tensile strength of the specimens. A probabilistic failure analysis of the fatigue data, reduced by the relative residual strength values, made it possible to relate the FRS of damaged specimens with the fatigue strength of undamaged ones.     

Fatigue-life prediction of SiC particulate reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 matrix composite using AE stress delay concept

A study of the residual fatigue life prediction of 6061-T6 aluminum matrix composite reinforced with 15 vol % SiC particulates (SiC_p) by using the acoustic emission technique and the stress delay concept has been carried out. Fatigue damages corresponding to 40, 60 and 80% of total fatigue life were stimulated at a cyclic stress amplitude. The specimens with and without fatigue damage were subjected to tensile tests. The acoustic emission activities were monitored during tensile tests. It was found that a lower stress level was required to reach a specified number of cumulative AE events for specimens fatigued to higher percentage of the fatigue life. This stress level is called stress delay. Approximately a linear relation was found between stress delay and fatigue damage. Using the procedure defined in this study, the residual fatigue life can be predicted by testing the specimen in tension and monitoring the AE events. The number of the cumulative AE events increased exponentially with the increase of strain during tensile tests. This exponential increase occurred when the material was in the plastic regime and was attributed mainly to SiC particulate/matrix interface decohesion and linkage of voids. In high cycle fatigue, it was observed that the residual tensile strengths of the material did not change with prior cyclic loading damages since the high cycle fatigue life was dominated by the crack initiation phase.     

Damage Modes Recognition and Hilbert-Huang Transform Analyses of CFRP Laminates Utilizing Acoustic Emission Technique

Discrimination of acoustic emission (AE) signals related to different damage modes is of great importance in carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite materials. To gain a deeper understanding of the initiation, growth and evolution of the different types of damage, four types of specimens for different lay-ups and orientations and three types of specimens for interlaminar toughness tests are subjected to tensile test along with acoustic emission monitoring. AE signals have been collected and post-processed, the statistical results show that the peak frequency of AE signal can distinguish various damage modes effectively. After a AE signal were decomposed by Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method, it may separate and extract all damage modes included in this AE signal apart from damage mode corresponding to the peak frequency. Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) of AE signals can clearly illustrate the frequency distribution of Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMF) components in time-scale in different damage stages, and can calculate accurate instantaneous frequency for damage modes recognition to help understanding the damage process.     

基于声发射检测技术的PE/PE自增强复合材料破损机理分析

用声发射(AE)技术研究了聚乙烯自增强复合材料的拉伸损伤与断裂行为.宽带传感器记录了不同角度纤维铺层的复合材料试样在拉伸破坏过程中的声发射信号,用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察了试样的几种典型的损伤破坏断面,对比分析了不同类型的损伤机制.实验分析表明,拉伸过程中破坏机制对声发射信号的特征具有显著影响,不同损伤模式的信号频谱特征存在明显的差异.声发射检测能有效提取热塑性复合材料损伤破坏信息,在材料的结构损伤主动监测中有良好的应用潜力.     

Effectiveness of advanced composites in repairing heat-damaged RC columns

Thirteen rectangular RC column specimens, constructed at 1/3 scale, were tested under axial loading to investigate the use of advanced composites in repairing heat-induced damage. Eleven of the column specimens were subjected to elevated temperatures of 500 °C for 3 h. Nine heat-damaged columns were repaired using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets and plates. The effects of wrapping configuration, thickness of wrapping sheets, inclusion of plates as externally-bonded longitudinal reinforcement and the area of plates were examined using seven repair schemes. Test results confirmed that elevated temperatures adversely affect the axial load resistance and axial stiffness of the columns while increasing their toughness. Buckling under pure compressive loads was evident in heat-damaged columns except in those repaired using longitudinal CFRP plates. Partial wrapping with unidirectional CFRP sheets was found ineffective in augmenting the axial load capacity and stiffness of the damaged columns whereas full wrapping increased their axial load resistance and toughness. Using externally-bonded longitudinal CFRP plates, confined with circumferential wraps, significantly enhanced the initial axial stiffness and axial load resistance of the damaged columns. However, none of the seven repair schemes investigated in this study managed to regain the original axial stiffness and load resistance of the undamaged columns.     

声发射技术在工程结构疲劳损伤监测中的应用和展望

疲劳失效是工程结构和材料科学研究领域都十分关注的问题。研究疲劳损伤机制对于解决工程结构疲劳失效问题是很重要的。应用断裂力学理论研究工程结构的疲劳问题已取得了显著的成果，随着声发射技术研究的深入，将二者结合起来必将成为疲劳问题研究的更有效方法之一。阐述了国内外采用声发射技术对工程结构疲劳裂纹损伤监测中的声发射源机制状况的研究，展望了声发射技术结合断裂力学在该领域的应用前景。     

Residual life prediction for healing fatigue damaged copper film by laser shock peening

A healing method for fatigue damage was studied by laser shock peening (LSP) with excimer laser for polycrystalline copper film. It is found that work hardening due to LSP could be responsible for the improvement of residual fatigue lives for the damaged and undamaged specimens by LSP, and the hardening degree for the damaged specimen by LSP is obviously higher than that for the undamaged specimen by LSP. In this paper, two basic mechanisms were identified. One is the dissipated energy enhancement mechanism, which improves the fatigue life caused by laser shock stress, and the other is the healing mechanism, which leads to a further improvement. Based on the two mechanisms, a residual fatigue life prediction method is proposed by the view of energy consumption before and after LSP. The predicted lives by the proposed method agree well with the experimental results.     

Tension–tension fatigue behavior of layer-to-layer 3-D angle-interlock woven composites

The tension–tension fatigue behavior of (the layer-to-layer) three-dimensional angle-interlock woven composite (3DAWC) was investigated using the acoustic emission (AE) technique, examination of damaged regions via light microscopy and micro-CT, and finite element analysis (FEA). AE events occurred during the entire fatigue process, and damage modes were determined based on cumulative fatigue damage of the 3DAWC undergoing tension-tension cyclic loading. FEA was employed to determine stress distribution and specific regions of stress concentrations within the composite structure. Debonding occurred at the warp tow-matrix-weft tow interface where the warp tows exhibited a maximum in amplitude of undulation. In addition, interrupted tests were performed to investigate fatigue damage modes of the 3DAWC at specific points in the fatigue life. Fatigue damage occurred in three distinct stages with characteristic damage modes.     

Damage analysis of concrete members containing expansive agent by mechanical and acoustic methods

Shrinkage compensating concrete (SCC) and Self-stressing concrete (SSC) technique have been employed for reducing early-age cracking and leakage while the addition of expansive agent would have a negative impact on mechanical properties and durability. The objective of the current research was to quantitatively assess the damage development in cementitious materials with expansive agent by both the strength tests and nondestructive acoustic tests including ultrasonic measurements and acoustic emission (AE) tests. The damage degree was defined based on strength as well as ultrasonic properties and a significant linear relationship was observed between the damage degree and autogenous strains. AE parameters such as AE amplitude, AE counts and AE energy were related to AE activity of the cement-expansive agent system. Crack mode identification was performed based on the relationship between average frequency and RA value (rise time/amplitude). A decreasing ratio of tensile cracks and an increasing ratio of shear cracks were observed which could be an indication of aggravated damage inside the materials.     

聚乙烯自增强复合材料损伤过程的声发射特征

复合材料在承受外载时, 声发射可产生于基体破裂、纤维-基体界面脱粘和纤维断裂等。测定了U HMWPE/ HDPE 复合材料在拉伸载荷作用下的声发射(AE) 振幅信号。对特殊试样, 即预测到断裂有明确方式, 如纤维-基体界面脱粘、基体破裂、纤维断裂和分层等的试样, 实施加载直至破坏。用扫描电子显微镜(SEM) 观测试样的断裂表面, 对产生于若干特殊损伤类型的AE 信号进行了鉴别。在相同加载条件下, 完成了不同种类的U HMWPE/ HDPE 准各向同性层合板声发射检测。结果在特殊试样损伤类型与声发射信号事件振幅之间建立了对应关系, 揭示了上述各种准各向同性层合板损伤扩展过程的AE 特征与损伤破坏机制。各种准各向同性层合板试样的声发射事件累计数对拉伸应力关系曲线相异, 其相同损伤类型发生时所对应的拉伸载荷水平不等, 表明它们的铺设角度和铺设顺序对损伤演变过程有显著的影响。结果证实了它们的最终破坏由严重层间分层造成。      

多龄期桥梁斜拉索疲劳损伤演化声发射监测技术研究

斜拉索在斜拉桥体系中有着举足轻重的作用,但易遭受腐蚀和疲劳累积损伤。目前对多龄期斜拉索腐蚀疲劳损伤演化规律的研究还较少。拟采用声发射技术监测国内某大桥腐蚀斜拉索疲劳损伤演化过程。首先,通过拉伸试验,得到了斜拉索中腐蚀钢丝和未腐蚀钢丝的应力-应变关系曲线,其实验结果表明腐蚀对斜拉索力学性能有较大的影响;其次对大桥拆下来的多龄期斜拉索进行疲劳测试,运用声发射技术监测了它的动态损伤过程,获得了斜拉索整个损伤过程的声发射特征参数,根据声发射累积能量参数分析结果,得到了多龄期斜拉索疲劳损伤演化规律;最后,对斜拉索疲劳损伤演化的各个阶段声发射波形进行小波分析,提取出各自的特征波形,并运用FFT分析其频率分布范围,进一步分析了损伤的形成原因,实现了对多龄期斜拉索损伤声发射源类型的确定     

EVALUATION OF FATIGUE DAMAGE ACCUMULATION BY ACOUSTIC EMISSION

Improvements in acoustic emission (AE) test techniques have lead to developments whereby reliable acoustic emission measurements as a fatigue damage indicator were made at room temperature on Incoloy 901 smooth specimens, over a stress-ratio range of ?1.0≤R≤0.2. Fatigue damage accumulation was evaluated in terms of an AE damage definition and a damage function was developed. Thus, various damage phases in the cumulative damage process were identified by their AE signature, and then formulated and analyzed in terms of cumulative AE ringdown counts.     

Use of Eddy Current Technology to Assist in the Evaluation of the Fatigue Damage of Electrical Conductors

The article deals with the evaluation of fatigue damage on overhead conductors which have been in service for a period exceeding 50 years. Under wind excitation, electrical transmission lines are subjected to aeolian vibrations that may induce wire fatigue of conductor at the exit of supporting equipment. This fatigue phenomenon is a fretting fatigue problem which is located at contact points between wires belonging to adjacent wire layers or between external layer wire and the supporting equipment. This article reports the methodology followed: 1) in selecting wires with the more severe damaged contact point using eddy current technology and 2) in comparing, through a metallographic examination, the contact points of those selected wires coming from in situ worn conductors and from laboratory fatigue tested virgin conductors used as reference.     

Damage evolution and real-time non-destructive evaluation of 2D carbon-fiber/SiC-matrix composites under fatigue loading

Electrical resistance acquisition, acoustic emission (AE) monitoring and infrared thermography were employed to evaluate damage evolution of 2D carbon-fiber/SiC-matrix composite under fatigue loading. Damage evolution was discussed on the basis of the calculation results of the modulus and mechanical hysteresis variation. At lower stress levels, the majority of damage was produced in the first few cycles and then the rate of damage accumulation gradually approached a steady value as the cycles proceeded. When the applied stress exceeded the endurance fatigue limit, extensive damage took place and led to failure of the composite. Changes of composite electrical resistance, AE activity and surface temperature had fairly well agreement with the modulus and hysteresis responses. It can be concluded that it is possible to employ these real-time non-destructive evaluation methods as in-situ damage evolution indicators for this kind of composites under fatigue loading.     

Fatigue life prediction of damaged copper film by laser irradiation repairing

The mechanism of fatigue life improvement for damaged and undamaged copper film specimens with thickness of 25 um was investigated by laser surface irradiation under optimal parameters of laser irradiation at different loading levels. The results showed that the degree of improvement in fatigue life for the damaged specimens is more evident when the applied nominal stress was larger. The hardening induced by laser irradiation and a smooth surface feature can be obtained after the laser irradiation treatment, which results in fatigue life to be extended. A fatigue life prediction method was proposed by the view of equivalent stress. The predicted lives by the proposed prediction method were in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Damage mode analysis of MCrAlY overlay coatings subjected to isothermal stepwise tensile testing by using in situ video imaging and acoustic emission monitoring

The mechanical performance of gas turbine material systems consisting of a Ni‐base superalloy substrate with three different MCrAlY overlay coatings with various Al contents was assessed, close to service temperature spectrum, by means of stepwise tensile tests. Furthermore, acoustic emission (AE) activity was monitored during the tensile testing. Tensile tests were performed for all three types of coated systems at four different temperatures (300, 500, 700 and 900 °C). The AE data were analysed by means of a standardized k‐means algorithm with respect to nine parameters (such as amplitude, number of counts, duration, rise time, energy, etc.). In conjunction with in situ video imaging of the specimen surface and postmortem microstructural analysis of the samples, the classification of AE data has provided a means for damage identification and performance assessment of the substrate‐coating material systems.     

On the notch sensitivity of flax fibre metal laminates under static and fatigue loading

Damage progression and failure characteristics of open‐hole flax fibre aluminium laminate (flax‐FML) specimens subjected to quasi‐static tensile or tension‐tension fatigue loading were experimentally investigated. Notched and unnotched flax‐FML composites exhibited brittle fracture with little or no fibre pull‐out and minimal delamination at the aluminium/adhesive interface. The flax‐FMLs were tested to failure under tension‐tension fatigue loading conditions (R ratio of 0.1; frequency of 10 Hz; applied fatigue stresses ranging between 30% and 80% of the respective ultimate tensile strength values). The fatigue cycles to failure decreased with the increase in the applied fatigue stress and hole diameter. A phenomenological modelling technique was developed to evaluate the fatigue life of an open‐hole flax‐FML composite. Fatigue tests on specimens subjected to a maximum load equivalent to 35% of the respective tensile failure strength were interrupted at around 85% of the corresponding fatigue life. The accumulated fatigue damage in these specimens was characterised using X‐ray computed tomography. For benchmarking purposes, the fatigue performance and related damage progression in the flax‐FML composite were compared with those of the glass‐FMLs.     

Stress-dependence and time-dependence of the post-fatigue tensile behavior of carbon fiber reinforced SiC matrix composites

The major objective of this paper is to phenomenally report the stress-dependence and time-dependence of fatigue damage to C/SiC composites, and to tentatively discuss the effects of the fatigue stress levels and the fatigue cycles on the post-fatigue tensile behavior. Results show that compared with the virgin strength of the as-received C/SiC specimens, the tensile strengths of the as-fatigued specimens after 86,400 cycles were increased by 8.47% at the stresses of 90 ± 30 MPa, 23.47% at 120 ± 40 MPa, and 9.8% at 160 ± 53 MPa. As cycles continued, however, the post-fatigue strength of the composites gradually decreased after the peak of 23.47%, at which the optimal strength enhancement was obtained because the mean fatigue stress of 120 MPa was the closest to thermal residual stress (TRS), and caused TRS relieve largely during the fatigue. Most interestingly, there was a general inflexion appeared on the post-fatigue tensile stress-strain curves, which was just equal to the historic maximum fatigue stress acted upon the as-fatigued specimens. Below this inflexion stress the tensile curves revealed the apparent linear behavior with little AE response, and above that nonlinearity with new damage immediately emitted highly increase rate of AE activities. This ‘stress memory’ characteristic was strongly relevant to damaged microstructures of the as-fatigued composites in the form of the coating/matrix cracks, interface debonding/wear, and fiber breaking, which resulted undoubtedly in reduction of modulus but in proper increase of strength via TRS relief.     

Nondestructive Characterization of Fretting Fatigue Damage

Fretting fatigue has been the cause of many premature failures in aerospace components. There is a growing need of nondestructive evaluation techniques to characterize damage and detect cracks due to fretting fatigue. This paper presents a methodology to characterize the fretting fatigue damage by analyzing the surface topography and to detect cracks under fretting fatigued surface by imaging heat generation due to high amplitude acoustic excitation. The White Light Interference Microscopy (WLIM) was used to obtain three-dimensional surface profilometry data of fretted and non-fretted regions of titanium alloy (Ti-6A1-4V) specimens subjected to different number of fretting fatigue cycles. Surface topography measurements were analyzed in terms of the Power Spectral Density (PSD) and Fretting Fatigue Damage Parameter (FFDP). The FFDP showed an increasing trend in magnitude with increasing numbers of fretting fatigue cycles, when the fretting fatigue damage occurred through stick-slip condition. When the fretting fatigue damage occurred due to gross sliding, the FFDP did not show enough change. Thus, it appears that FFDP may be used as an indicator of the degradation of fretted surface under stick-slip condition. Cracks in presence of fretting fatigue damage were imaged using Sonic infrared technique. This technique appears to have a capability to detect cracks with a resolution of at least 200 m. The benefits and limitations of thes two NDE techniques for fretting fatigue damage evaluation and crack detection are discussed.     

Damage and residual strength of laminated carbon–epoxy composite circular plates loaded at the centre

The research dealt with the characterization of damage in quasi-isotropic carbon fibre reinforced epoxy resin laminate loaded at the centre. Load was applied by means of a servo hydraulic machine and it was supposed to simulate a low velocity impact. The acoustic emission (AE) technique was used to detect damage progression. Tensile resistance after indentation was investigated and correlated with acoustic emissions parameters. This was been done for different lamination sequences on specimens cut from the damaged plates.A numerical model to predict both the first ply failure (FPF) and the ultimate ply failure (UPF) of the laminate was developed by means of the ANSYS^® software.