Progressive damage modelling and fatigue life prediction of Plain-weave composite laminates with Low-velocity impact damage

This paper developed a fatigue-driven residual strength model considering the effects of low-velocity impact (LVI) damage and stress ratio. New fatigue failure criteria based on fatigue-driven residual strength concept and fatigue progressive damage model were developed to simulate fatigue damage growth and predict fatigue life for plain-weave composite laminates with LVI damage. To validate the proposed model, LVI tests of plainweave glass fibre reinforced polymer 3238A/EW250F laminates were conducted, followed by post-impact constant amplitude tension-tension, compression-compression fatigue tests and multi-step fatigue tests. Experimental results indicate that the LVI damage degrades fatigue strength of plain-weave glass fibre composite laminate drastically. The load history also plays an important role on the fatigue accumulation damage of post-impact laminates. The new fatigue progressive damage model achieves a good agreement with fatigue life of post-impact laminates and is able to capture the load sequence effect, opening a new avenue to predict fatigue failure of composite laminates.

Automated summary

A fatigue-driven residual strength model considering the effects of low-velocity impact (LVI) damage and stress ratio was developed in this paper. New fatigue failure criteria were proposed based on this model, which can simulate fatigue damage growth and predict fatigue life for composite laminates with LVI damage. Experimental results showed that LVI damage degrades fatigue strength drastically and the load history plays an important role in fatigue accumulation damage for post-impact laminates.