Fatigue life prediction model of 2.5D woven composites at various temperatures

Abstract

As one of the new structural layout in the family of woven composites, 2.5D Woven Composites (2.5D-WC) have recently attracted an increasing interest owing to its excellent properties, i.e. high specific strength and fatigue resistance, in the aerospace and automobile industry. In-depth understanding of the fatigue behavior of this material at un-ambient temperatures is critical for the engineering applications, especially in aero-engine field. Here, fatigue behavior of 2.5D-WC at different temperatures was numerically investigated based on the unit cell approach. Firstly, the unit cell model of 2.5D-WC was established using ANSYS software. Subsequently, the temperature-dependent fatigue life prediction model was built up. Finally, the fatigue lives alongside the damage evolution processes of 2.5D-WC at ambient temperature (20 °C) and un-ambient temperature (180 °C) were analyzed. The results show that numerical results are in good agreement with the relevant experimental results at 20 and 180 °C. Fatigue behavior of 2.5D-WC is also sensitive to temperature, which is partially attributed to the mechanical properties of resin and the change of inclination angle of warp yarns. We hope that the proposed fatigue life prediction model and the findings could further promote the engineering application of 2.5D-WC, especially in aero-engine field.