Fatigue behavior and damage mechanism of carbon/carbon composites: a review

Purpose - This paper aims to review the research status of fatigue behavior and fracture mechanism for C/C composites. Design/methodology/approach - The fatigue behavior is related to many factors. The mechanical and physical properties were compared to evaluate the effect of fatigue under various experimental conditions, including different load type, loading frequency and stress ratio. Special attention is put on the high-temperature fatigue research. Findings - The strength has improved by fatigue loading. And most researchers considered that the weaken interface was the main reason for fatigue enhancement. However, the research on high-temperature fatigue behavior is especially scarce. Originality/value - This review provides a guideline on the current and future research on fatigue behavior of C/C composites.