Progressive damage modelling and fatigue life prediction of Plain-weave composite laminates with Low-velocity impact damage

This paper developed a fatigue-driven residual strength model considering the effects of low-velocity impact (LVI) damage and stress ratio. New fatigue failure criteria based on fatigue-driven residual strength concept and fatigue progressive damage model were developed to simulate fatigue damage growth and predict fatigue life for plain-weave composite laminates with LVI damage. To validate the proposed model, LVI tests of plain-weave glass fibre reinforced polymer 3238A/EW250F laminates were conducted, followed by post-impact constant amplitude tension–tension, compression-compression fatigue tests and multi-step fatigue tests. Experimental results indicate that the LVI damage degrades fatigue strength of plain-weave glass fibre composite laminate drastically. The load history also plays an important role on the fatigue accumulation damage of post-impact laminates. The new fatigue progressive damage model achieves a good agreement with fatigue life of post-impact laminates and is able to capture the load sequence effect, opening a new avenue to predict fatigue failure of composite laminates.