An Energy-Based Prognostic Framework to Predict Fatigue Damage Evolution in Composites

In this work, a prognostics framework to predict the evolution of damage in fiber-reinforced composites materials under fatigue loads is proposed. The assessment of internal damage thresholds is a challenge for fatigue prognostics in composites due to inherent uncertainties, existence of multiple damage modes, and their complex interactions. Our framework, considers predicting the balance of release strain energies from competing damage modes to establish a reference threshold for prognostics. The approach is demonstrated on data collected from a run-to-failure tension-tension fatigue experiment measuring the evolution of fatigue damage in carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) cross-ply laminates. Results are presented for the prediction of expected degradation by micro-cracks for a given panel with the associated uncertainty estimates.