Fatigue life prediction in composites using progressive damage modelling under block and spectrum loading

Vaggelis Passipoularidis, T.P. Philippidis, Povl Brøndsted

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    A progressive damage fatigue simulator for variable amplitude loads named FADAS is discussed in this work. Fatigue Damage Simulator (FADAS) performs ply by ply stress analysis using classical lamination theory and implements adequate stiffness discount tactics based on the failure criterion of Puck, to model the degradation caused by failure events in ply level. Residual strength is incorporated as fatigue damage accumulation metric. Once the typical fatigue and static properties of the constitutive ply are determined, the performance of an arbitrary lay-up under uniaxial and/or multi-axial load time series can be simulated. The predictions are validated against fatigue life data both from repeated block tests at a single stress ratio as well as against spectral fatigue using the WISPER, WISPERX and NEW WISPER load sequences on a Glass/Epoxy multidirectional laminate typical of a Wind Turbine Rotor Blade construction. Two versions of the algorithm, the one using single-step and the other using incremental application of each load cycle (in case of ply failure) are implemented and compared. Simulation results confirm the ability of the algorithm to take into account load sequence effects. In general, FADAS performs well in predicting life under both spectral and block loading fatigue.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalInternational Journal of Fatigue
    Volume33
    Issue number2
    Pages (from-to)132-144
    ISSN0142-1123
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2010

    Keywords

    • Materials and energy storage
    • Light strong materials for energy purposes

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