Validation of a Parametric Constant-Life Model for Fatigue-Life Prediction for Carbon-Fibre Laminates

Abstract

This letter describes an experimental validation of a parametric model for the prediction of the fatigue lives of carbon-fibre composites. The constant-life model, which has been developed at Bath over a number of years, offers the possibility of predicting life for any CFRP laminate on the basis of a very limited amount of new data. It has now been tested against fatigue data from an independent laboratory for a laminate material and lay-up different from those on which the model was based. The level of accuracy of the predicted lives is high.