Modeling the residual strength of carbon fiber reinforced composites subjected to cyclic loading

•We model the strength degradation kinetics of fatigued composites.•The model allows the statistical treatment of static and fatigue data.•The model takes the applied R ratio into account directly rather than just indirectly.•Correlations between strength distribution function and fatigue data were inferred.•The model reliability is tested on three different materials data sets.

Fatigue and residual strength data available in literature were modeled with a modified two-parameter wear-out model based on strength degradation. The model explicitly accounts for the maximum applied stress and the stress ratio and requires a limited number of experimental data to predict with accuracy the fatigue life of a series of polymer-based composites. In this paper a substantial modification of the model is proposed in order to enhance its capability in predicting the residual strength kinetics with emphasis to the “sudden drop” of strength before catastrophic failure. It is argued that the strength degradation kinetics under given loading conditions can be obtained from the statistical distribution of cycles to failure under the same loading conditions. From the new approach no new parameters are introduced, limiting to a minimum the experimental data needed to predict the residual strength. The strength degradation law reliability is verified on three different materials data sets appeared in literature. The results indicate that both the fatigue life and the residual strength are related to the statistical distribution of the static strength.