Extension of the Classical Laminate Theory for Fatigue Life Prediction

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Helmut Schürmann
• Subject Area: Lightweight Construction, Textile Technology
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 110018296

The fatigue life prediction for fiber reinforced composites is currently analytically not viable hence the design engineer lacks an easy to use tool or routine for the calculation. On the basis of various publications on mathematical approaches and experimental investigations, giving only answers to some aspects of the topic, a thorough research was the platform for the onset of fatigue life prediction model on basis of non-linear stiffness degradations. Owing the great number of influences on the fatigue life of FRP through operating loads, environ-mental influences and structural design predictions for arbitrary loading and variable laminate stacking sequences are not completely considered yet. Therefore major influences as the mean stress, the load sequence effect and the multiaxial behavior of a layer will be integrated in the cur-rent model and evaluated via a sensitivity analysis. The validation will be carried out by using data from the literature as well as specific experiments. A reference manual is supposed to help the design engineer to dimension for fatigue life. A guideline for experimental testing will standardize the experiments for the required data.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants