Characterization of Fatigue Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites Based on a Multiscale Approach

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Composite material fatigue performance depends on fiber-matrix interactions.
• Directly measuring constituent properties is challenging.
• Accurate characterization requires understanding these interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a methodology for characterizing composite material constituent properties.
• To enable accurate fatigue characterization through a reverse-engineering approach.
• To validate the method across various conditions and applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized micro-mechanics of fatigue (MMFatigue) for predictions.
• Employed a reverse-engineering approach, adjusting constituent properties to match experimental fatigue data.
• Evaluated three laminate angles (0°, 30°, 60°) at three temperatures (LT, RT, HT).

Main Results:

• Achieved low prediction errors: 2.48% at LT, 7.18% at RT, and 1.25% at HT for a 45° laminate.
• Demonstrated the multiscale-based fatigue life prediction method's accuracy.
• Validated applicability across different loading conditions and composite structures.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodology accurately characterizes composite material properties via fatigue analysis.
• The reverse-engineering approach effectively bridges micro-scale properties to macro-scale behavior.
• This method offers a robust tool for predicting composite fatigue life in diverse engineering applications.