Fatigue damage modeling of fibre-reinforced composite materials: Review

This paper presents a review of the major fatigue models and life time prediction methodologies for fibrereinforced polymer composites, subjected to fatigue loadings. In this review, the fatigue models have been classified in three major categories: fatigue life models, which do not take into account the actual degradation mechanisms but use S-N curves or Goodman-type diagrams and introduce some sort of fatigue failure criterion; phenomenological models for residual stiffness/strength; and finally progressive damage models which use one or more damage variables related to measurable manifestations of damage (transverse matrix cracks, delamination size). Although this review does not pretend to be exhaustive, the most important models proposed during the last decades have been included, as well as the relevant equations upon which the respective models are based.