Numerical simulation for predicting fatigue damage progress in notched cfrp cross-ply laminates by using cohesive elements

This study proposes the cohesive zone model (CZM) for fatigue damage growth in the notched CFRP cross-ply laminates. In this model, the damage growth in the fracture process of cohesive elements due to cyclic loading is represented by the conventional damage mechanics model. We preliminary investigated how this model can appropriately express the fatigue damage growth for the circular crack embedded in the isotropic solid material. This investigation demonstrated that this model could reproduce the results with the well-established fracture mechanics model plus the Paris law by tuning adjustable parameters. We then numerically investigated the damage progress in notched CFRP cross-ply laminates under tensile cyclic loading and compared the predicted damage patterns with experiments reported by Spearing et al. (Compos. Sci. Technol. 1992). The predicted damage patterns agreed with the experiment results that exhibited the extension of the multiple types of damage (i.e., splits, transverse cracks and delaminations) near the notches.