Effect of Frequency Upon Fatigue Strength of a Short Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyamide 6: A Superposition Method Based on Cyclic Creep Parameters

The fatigue behavior of a conditioned short glass-fiber reinforced polyamide 6 was studied and the effect of the cyclic frequency investigated. Load controlled fatigue tests were performed, and the strains and sur face temperature of specimens were recorded continuously. The number of cycles to failure was found to be dependent upon cyclic creep rate, as is typical for short glass fiber reinforced polyamides in the conditioned state. A strong reduction of fatigue strength was observed for increasing cyclic load frequency. This was mainly related to the specimen temperature increase due to hysteretic self heating and its effect on the cyclic creep speed. A frequency superposition method is proposed, expressing the relationship between temperature rise, applied stress, and cyclic creep speed in terms of a parameter derived from the Larson-Miller steady creep parameter. POLYM. COMPOS., 30:154-161, 2009. (C) 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers