Fatigue damage evolution in unidirectional glass/epoxy composites under a cyclic load. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castro, Oscar; Carraro, Paolo Andrea; Maragoni, Lucio; Quaresimin, Marino
• Is Part Of: Polymer testing. Volume 74(2019)
• Page Start: 216
• Page End: 224
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Fatigue damage -- Damage evolution -- Glass/epoxy materials -- Broken fibers; Polymers -- Testing -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Tests -- Périodiques; 620.1920287
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2018.12.027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-9418

Abstract

Abstract: The initiation and progression of fiber damage in on-axis UD glass/epoxy materials under fatigue loading conditions were studied. Uniaxial tension–tension fatigue tests at different load levels were carried out to monitor the fiber damage evolution through the fatigue lifetime. The damage evolution was quantified by initial fiber breaks, the evolution of fiber breaks, fragmentation and clustering progression. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses, it is shown how the fiber damage evolution depends on the number of cycles, the applied load level and the number of broken fibers during the first cycle. Highlights: For lower load levels, no new fiber breaks occur as the number of cycles increases. For higher load levels, further fiber breaks occur and, thereby damage propagates. Damage develops faster in regions near the scrim fiber bundles. The probability of survival trend of the fibers through the fatigue-life was obtained. The stiffness did not change along the fatigue-life due to low fiber fragmentation.