Evaluation of fibre bridging stress of short fatigue cracks in SCS-6/Ti-15-3 composite

Single‐edge notched specimens of a unidirectional SiC long fibre reinforced titanium alloy, were fatigued under four point bending. The propagation behaviour of short fatigue cracks from a notch was observed on the basis of the effects of fibre bridging. The branched fatigue cracks were initiated from the notch root. The fatigue cracks propagated only in the matrix and without fibre breakage. The crack propagation rate decreased with crack extension due to the crack bridging by reinforced fibres. After fatigue testing the loading and residual stresses in the reinforced fibres were measured for the arrested cracks by the X‐ray diffraction method. The longitudinal stresses in the reinforced fibres were measured using high spatial resolution synchrotron radiation. A stress map around the fatigue cracks was then successfully constructed. The longitudinal stress decreased linearly with increasing distance from a location adjacent to the wake of the matrix crack. This region of decreasing stress corresponded to the debonding area between the fibre and the matrix. The interfacial frictional stress between the matrix and the fibre could be determined from the fibre stresses. The bridging stress on the crack wake was also measured as a function of a distance from a notch root. The threshold stress intensity factor range, corrected on the basis of the shielding stress, was similar to the propagation behaviour of the monolithic matrix. Hence the main factor influencing the shielding effect in composites is fibre bridging.     

Fatigue and Damage Tolerance of Glare

Methods have been developed to describe the fatigue initiation and propagation mechanisms in flat panels as well as mechanically fastened joints and to determine the residual strength of large flat panels. Glare shows excellent crack growth characteristics due to the mechanism of delamination and fibre bridging. The fatigue insensitive fibres restrain the crack opening and transfer load over the crack in the metal layers. During the initiation phase fibre bridging does not occur and the behaviour is dominated by the metal initiation properties. Mechanically fastened joints introduce additional effects such as secondary bending, load transfer and aspects related to the fastener installation. The residual strength of Glare is dependent on the amount of broken fibres and the delamination size and can be described with the R-curve approach.The impact resistance of Glare is related to the aluminium and glass/epoxy properties and is significantly higher than the impact resistance of monolithic aluminium. The same has been proven for fire resistance. Depending on the Glare grade and thickness, the outer aluminium layer will melt away, whereas the other layers will remain intact due to carbonisation of the glass/epoxy layers and delamination of the laminate. The air in the delaminations will act as insulation, keeping the temperatures at the non-exposed side relatively low.     

A MODEL TO PREDICT THE FATIGUE LIFE OF FIBRE-REINFORCED TITANIUM MATRIX COMPOSITES UNDER CONSTANT AMPLITUDE LOADING

A model based on micro-mechanical concepts has been developed for predicting fatigue crack growth in titanium alloy matrix composites. In terms of the model, the crack system is composed of three zones: the crack, the plastic zone and the fibre. Crack tip plasticity is constrained by the fibres and remains so until certain conditions are met. The condition for crack propagation is that fibre constraint is overcome when the stress at the location of the fibre ahead of the crack tip attains a critical level required for debonding. Crack tip plasticity then increases and the crack is able to propagate round the fibre. The debonding stress is calculated using the shear lag model from values of interfacial shear strength and embedded fibre length published in the literature. If the fibres in the crack wake remain unbroken, friction stresses on the crack flanks are generated, as a result of the matrix sliding along the fibres. The friction stresses (known as the bridging effect) shield the crack tip from the remote stress, reducing the crack growth relative to that of the matrix alone. The bridging stress is calculated by adding together the friction stresses, at each fibre row bridging the crack, which are assumed to be a function of crack opening displacement and sliding distance at each row. The friction stresses at each fibre row will increase as the crack propagates further until a critical level for fibre failure is reached. Fibre failure is modelled through Weibull statistics and published experimental results. Fibre failure will reduce the bridging effect and increase the crack propagation rate. Calculated fatigue lives and crack propagation rates are compared with experimental results for three different materials (32% SCS6/Ti-15-3, 32% and 38% SCS6/Ti-6-4) subjected to mode I fatigue loading. The good agreement shown by these comparisons demonstrates the applicability of the model to predict the fatigue damage in Ti-based MMCs.     

A review: Fibre metal laminates,background, bonding types and applied test methods

During the past decades, increasing demand in aircraft industry for high-performance, lightweight structures have stimulated a strong trend towards the development of refined models for fibre-metal laminates (FMLs). Fibre metal laminates are hybrid composite materials built up from interlacing layers of thin metals and fibre reinforced adhesives. The most commercially available fibre metal laminates (FMLs) are ARALL (Aramid Reinforced Aluminium Laminate), based on aramid fibres, GLARE (Glass Reinforced Aluminium Laminate), based on high strength glass fibres and CARALL (Carbon Reinforced Aluminium Laminate), based on carbon fibres. Taking advantage of the hybrid nature from their two key constituents: metals (mostly aluminium) and fibre-reinforced laminate, these composites offer several advantages such as better damage tolerance to fatigue crack growth and impact damage especially for aircraft applications. Metallic layers and fibre reinforced laminate can be bonded by classical techniques, i.e. mechanically and adhesively. Adhesively bonded fibre metal laminates have been shown to be far more fatigue resistant than equivalent mechanically bonded structures.     

Experimental characterization of the crack-tip-opening angle in fibre metal laminates

Although the crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) has been shown to be well suited for modelling stable crack growth in monolithic sheet aluminium alloys, its applicability for fibre metal laminates has not been fully analyzed yet. Fracture test were performed on M(T) panels made of Glare 2-3/2-0.4, Glare 3-3/2-0.4 and laminated 2024-T3 3/2-0.4. Different fatigue pre-crack lengths were created to study the effect of bridging fibres on the CTOA measured on the external layer. The effect of bridging fibres resulted in small deviations of the CTOA vs. crack extension curve with respect to the reference panel made of metal laminate. The CTOA criterion could be successfully used for predicting the residual strength in fibre metal laminates.     

Response of fibre reinforced aluminium–lithium laminates to different fatigue conditions

Under fatigue conditions fibre reinforced aluminium–lithium laminates do not respond in the same manner as monolithic aluminium alloys. The variation of fatigue crack growth rates with initial loading condition has been examined for both carbon and glass fibre reinforced laminates, and compared with the behaviour of unreinforced 8090 aluminium–lithium alloy for a range of conditions (different initial nominal stress intensity factor range, load range and reversed loading). During fatigue, cracks grow in the metal layers of these laminates whilst the fibres in the crack wake remain intact, bridging the crack faces. The fibre bridging mechanism, inherent in this laminate system, reduces the fatigue crack growth rate. The magnitude of the bridging effect appears to be inversely related to the applied load range. This relationship can account for the behaviour observed in the performed experiments. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fatigue crack growth in hybrid boron/glass/aluminium fibre metal laminates

The crack growth behaviour of hybrid boron/glass/aluminium fibre metal laminates (FMLs) under constant‐amplitude fatigue loading was investigated. The hybrid FMLs consist of Al 2024‐T3 alloy as the metal layers and a mixture of boron fibres and glass fibres as the fibre layers. Two types of boron/glass/aluminium laminates were fabricated and tested. In the first type, the glass fibre/prepreg and the boron fibre/prepreg were used separately in the fibre layers, and in the second type, the boron fibres and the glass fibres were uniformly mingled together to form a hybrid boron fibre/glass fibre prepreg. An analytical model was also proposed to predict the fatigue crack growth behaviour of hybrid boron/glass/aluminium FMLs. The effective stress intensity factor at a crack tip was formulated as a function of the remote stress intensity factor, crack opening stress intensity factor, and the bridging stress intensity factor. The bridging stress acting on the delamination boundary along the crack length was also calculated based on the crack opening relations. Then, the empirical Paris‐type fatigue crack growth law was used for predicting the crack growth rates. A good correlation between the predicted and experimental crack growth rates has been obtained.     

Lebensdauerberechnung gekerbter Bauteile auf Basis der elastisch‐plastischen Schwingbruchmechanik

Fatigue life calculation of notched components based on the elastic‐plastic fatigue fracture mechanics The life of notched components is subdivided into the pre‐crack, or crack‐initiation, and crack propagation phases within and outside notch area. It is known that a major factor governing the service life of notched components under cyclic loading is fatigue crack growth in notches. Therefore a uniform elastic‐plastic crack growth model, based on the J‐Integral, was developed which especially considers the crack opening and closure behaviour and the effect of residual stresses for the determination of crack initiation and propagation lives for cracks in notches under constant and variable‐amplitude loading. The crack growth model will be introduced and verified by experiments.     

The fatigue properties of cross-plied boron 6061 aluminium

The mechanical properties of 0/90° and 0/90/+-45° boron-aluminium laminates have been examined at room temperature, 200 and 300° C. The increase in test temperature resulted in decreases in both the tensile and fatigue properties. Relatively constant critical stress intensity values were obtained from centre-notched static tensile specimens, indicating high notch sensitivity. Smaller values were obtained from specimens tested at elevated temperatures.The tension-compression (R=–1) fatigue behaviour of unnotched specimens cut from either material indicated 10⁷ cycle endurance limits of about 255 MPa (37×10³psi) and endurance ratios of 0.3 to 0.4. Microscopic examination of failed specimens detected the presence of off-axis fibre splitting and multiple cracks that were distributed throughout the matrix. Fractographic observations indicated that the fatigue crack had propagated completely through the matrix before final failure of the fibres occurred.Notched specimens failed by fracture at the fatigue extended notch at approximately the same values of the critical stress intensity that had been determined statically. However, fatigue lives obtained from centre-notched specimens subjected to identical net section stresses indicated that the rate of propagation of the premachined notch was faster for specimens containing longer crack sizes only for crack length: specimen width ratios, 2a/w, up to 0.4; thereafter, larger ratios yielded slower crack propagation rates.     

Fatigue crack growth in fibre metal laminates under selective variable-amplitude loading

To extend the predictive capability of existing crack growth models for fibre metal laminates under constant amplitude fatigue loading to variable-amplitude loading, further research on variable-amplitude fatigue mechanisms in fibre metal laminates is necessary. In response to this need, an experimental study into the effects of multiple overloads, underloads and various block-loading sequences on crack growth in the fibre metal laminate Glare was investigated. Crack growth retardation effects were observed in the tests; however, the magnitude of these effects was lower than seen in monolithic aluminium because of fibre bridging. As a result, predictions of the observed behaviour were attempted using an existing constant-amplitude fatigue crack growth model for Glare in combination with a linear damage accumulation law.     

Fatigue behaviour of carbon fibre-reinforced aluminium laminates

A new hybrid composite (CARALL), consisting of thin layers of carbon fibre/ epoxy prepreg sandwiched between aluminium sheets, has been developed. It is shown that this class of materials offers higher modulus, higher tensile strength and lower density than 2024-T3 alloy in the longitudinal direction. Under tension-tension fatigue loading, the hybrid laminates showed superior fatigue crack propagation resistance in the longitudinal direction, which may be attributed to the bridging effect imposed by the intact fibres in the crack wake. It has also been shown that the effectiveness of fatigue crack growth reduction increases with the thickness of the carbon fibre/epoxy layer. The resistance to fatigue crack propagation can be further improved by introducing compressive residual stresses in the aluminium layer by postcure stretching the laminate in the plastic region of the aluminium alloy.     

ARALL (Aramidfaserverstärkter Aluminiumschicht-Verbundwerkstoff) - Ein neuer Hybrid-Verbundwerkstoff mit besonderen Schwingfestigkeitseigenschaften

ARALL (Aramid Fibre Reinforced Aluminum Laminate)-A New Fatigue Resistant Hybrid Composite High fuel expenses and the tendency to build larger aircrafts are two main factors forcing the aircraft engineers to develop structures which allow for higher design stress levels. Higher design stress levels require an increasing concern with the fatigue behavior of the structure. One way to solve the problem is to develop new high strength fatigue resistant materials. In this paper a material of this type is presented: ARALL, an aramid fibre reinforced aluminum laminate. This hybrid material consists of thin sheets of a high strength aluminum alloy which are bonded together. Into the bond-line thin layers of aramid fibres are embedded. As soon as fatigue cracks are initiated in the metallic part of the hybrid composite material during the fatigue loading, the strong and fatigue insensitive aramid fibres remain unbroken behind the propagating crack. They hinder the crack opening and reduce the stress intensity factor at the crack tip in the metal part of the hybrid composite. This mechanism leads to a significant reduction of the crack growth and can be enhanced by introducing favourable residual stresses into the hyb- rid material. For an optimized ARALL material an aluminum sheet thickness of about 0.5 mm and an aramid layer thickness of about 0.25 mm (with a fibre volume content of about 40–50%) are chosen. ARALL decreases the crack growth rates by orders of magnitude, as compared to monolithic aluminum sheets, and is an extremely damage tolerant material.     

Evaluation of the electrical potential drop technique in the determination of crack growth resistance-curves of Carbon/Carbon composites and carbon bonded refractories

Electrical potential drop (EPD) and compliance techniques are compared as techniques for crack length measurement in determining the crack growth resistance-curve (R-curve) of two Carbon/Carbon (C/C) composites and two carbon-bonded oxide-graphite refractories. The two C/C composites differ in the strength of the fibre/matrix interaction, resulting from the use of untreated and surface treated carbon fibres. The refractories differ in the volume fraction of graphite flakes. R-curve measurements on the C/C composites were made on specimens with chevron notches whilst straight-through notches were used for carbon bonded refractories. In the EPD method, the instantaneous crack length was determined from the instantaneous electrical potential across the notch plane, which was recorded in line with load and displacement data, and experimental calibration data. In the compliance method, the instantaneous crack length was determined analytically using the instantaneous load and displacement data. From the EPD technique smaller crack lengths were calculated than from the compliance technique in the regions of fracture where the composites had well developed process zones, and for the whole region in the refractories. The EPD technique underestimates the actual crack length, due to current conduction in the wake zone by bridging fibres/grains, and as a result the R-curves are different from those reported by the compliance technique, which are considered to be more reliable. The compliance-based results are used to establish the effects of fibre surface functionality and graphite flake content on crack growth resistance in the two systems.     

The effect of bi-modal and lamellar microstructures of Ti-6Al-4V on the behaviour of fatigue cracks emanating from edge-notches

This paper is aimed at evaluating the influence of bi‐modal and lamellar microstructures on the behaviour of small cracks emanating from notches in α+β titanium Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy. Pulsating four point bending tests were performed at a nominal stress ratio of 0.1 and a frequency of 15 Hz on double‐edge‐notched specimens. The conditions of initiation and early propagation of fatigue cracks were investigated at two relatively high nominal stress levels corresponding to 88 and 58% of the 0.2% material yield stress. Crack closure effects were measured by an extensometric technique and discussed. Variations in crack aspect ratio were determined and considered in the ΔK calculation. Corresponding results were discussed by considering the effect of the yielded region at the notch tip calculated by elastic–plastic finite element modelling of the fatigue tests. The importance of the bi‐modal and lamellar microstructures on the material damage was highlighted and correlated to the observed oscillations in the crack growth rate. The crack growth rate data obtained were compared with those measured using standard C(T) specimens (long crack).     

Fatigue Propagation of Fibre-Bridged Cracks in Unidirectional Polymer-Matrix Composites

In order to improve the fatigue resistance of polymer-matrix composites by materials design, or to conceive micromechanics based models for life predictions, the underlying micromechanisms must be understood. Experimental investigations have revealed fibre-bridged cracking as a toughening micromechanism that retards further fatigue crack growth in a unidirectional 0° carbon-fibre-reinforced epoxy. The bridging fibres exert a closing traction on the crack surfaces, thereby reducing the driving force for crack growth. In this study, the growth of bridged cracks has been quantified by a surface replication technique. The da/dN–K curve defined in terms of nominal stress-intensity factors shows a crack retarding behaviour. The crack growth curve can be replotted in terms of the effective stress-intensity factor where the contribution of the cohesive crack surface forces from the bridging fibres are taken into account. This curve falls somewhat closer to that of the neat matrix material, but the difference is still considerable, and it shows a decelerating propagation. Therefore, there must be other active toughening mechanisms besides fibre bridging, that slow the crack propagation down, and account for the fatigue resistant behaviour of the tested material. Ways by microstructural design to promote the fatigue resistant mechanisms are discussed.     

Bridging effect on mode I fatigue delamination behavior in composite laminates

This paper discusses the bridging effect of fibres on mode I fatigue delamination growth in unidirectional and multidirectional polymer composite laminates based on a series of double cantilever beam (DCB) tests. From the results, there is sufficient evidence that fibre bridging can decrease the crack growth rate da/dN significantly, and using only one fatigue resistance curve to determine the delamination behavior in composite materials with large-scale fibre bridging may be inadequate. The bridging created in fatigue delamination is different from that of quasi-static delamination at the same crack length. So it is incorrect to use the resistance curve (R-curve) from quasi-static delamination tests to normalize fatigue delamination results.     

Modeling of crack bridging in a unidirectional metal matrix composite

The effective fatigue crack driving force and crack opening profiles were determined analytically for fatigue tested unidirectional composite specimens exhibiting fiber bridging. The crack closure pressure due to bridging was modeled using two approaches; the fiber pressure model and the shear lag model. For both closure models, the Bueckner weight function method and the finite element method were used to calculate crack opening displacements and the crack driving force. The predicted near crack tip opening profile agreed well with the experimentally measured profiles for single edge notch SCS-6/Ti-15-3 metal matrix composite specimens. The numerically determined effective crack driving force, K _eff, was calculated using both models to correlate the measured crack growth rate in the composite. The calculated K _eff from both models accounted for the crack bridging by showing a good agreement between the measured fatigue crack growth rates of the bridged composite and that of unreinforced, unbridged titanium matrix alloy specimens.     

On the Frost–Dugdale plot for non‐propagating cracks

The Frost–Dugdale plot is re‐examined and the subject of the non‐propagation of fatigue cracks is updated to emphasize that fatigue crack closure is the principal factor responsible for the non‐propagation of fatigue cracks which originate at notches. The limitations of the original Frost–Dugdale plot with respect to notch depth are also discussed.     

Crack closure in fibre metal laminates

GLARE is a fibre metal laminate (FML) built up of alternating layers of S2-glass/FM94 prepreg and aluminium 2024-T3. The excellent fatigue behaviour of GLARE can be described with a recently published analytical prediction model. This model is based on linear elastic fracture mechanics and the assumption that a similar stress state in the aluminium layers of GLARE and monolithic aluminium result in the same crack growth behaviour. It therefore describes the crack growth with an effective stress intensity factor (SIF) range at the crack tip in the aluminium layers, including the effect of internal residual stress as result of curing and the stiffness differences between the individual layers. In that model, an empirical relation is used to calculate the effective SIF range, which had been determined without sufficiently investigating the effect of crack closure. This paper presents the research performed on crack closure in GLARE. It is assumed that crack closure in FMLs is determined by the actual stress cycles in the metal layers and that it can be described with the available relations for monolithic aluminium published in the literature. Fatigue crack growth experiments have been performed on GLARE specimens in which crack growth rates and crack opening stresses have been recorded. The prediction model incorporating the crack closure relation for aluminium 2024-T3 obtained from the literature has been validated with the test results. It is concluded that crack growth in GLARE can be correlated with the effective SIF range at the crack tip in the aluminium layers, if it is determined with the crack closure relation for aluminium 2024-T3 based on actual stresses in the aluminium layers.