A high-cyclic elastic fatigue damage model for carbon fibre epoxy matrix laminates with different mode mixtures

This paper presents the development of a fatigue damage model able to carry out simulation of evolution of delamination in the laminated composite structures under cyclic loadings. A classical interface damage evolution law, which is commonly used to predict static debonding process, is modified further to incorporate fatigue delamination effects due to high cycle loadings. The proposed fatigue damage model is identified using fracture mechanics tests DCB, ENF and MMB. Then a non-monotonic behaviour is used to predict the fatigue damage parameters able to carry out delamination simulations for different mode-mixtures. Linear Paris plot behaviour of the above mentioned fracture mechanics tests are successfully compared with available experimental data on HTA/6376C and AS4/PEEK unidirectional materials.