Failure Prediction of Graphite/Epoxy Laminates With Induced Intermittent Surge in Applied Load During Fatigue

An analytical model, backed by numerical simulation, describing the behavior of the energy release rate of composite laminates subjected to fatigue overloads is presented. The model establishes that accumulation of damage due to intermittent surge in applied load reduces the energy release rate, G, of the material. Thus, in the case of cyclic loading with overloads, it is essential to model the failure using a damage growth law that incorporates the damage accumulation due to the overloads. The results obtained in this study, have no restrictive assumptions regarding the specimen or the delamination thickness, T and h respectively, and are presented over varying mode-mixity and h/T ratios.