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Damage Precursor Detection and Identification in Composite Structures
Abstract
In this work, the stiffness of a glass/epoxy composite material system subject to three-point bend fatigue is tracked throughout life. Linear curve fits of the data are used to develop phenomenological models of the response. Predictions of when failure will occur are made using the models and data for a particular specimen up to a prescribed number of cycles. Final fracture was predicted within 12%. The model based on the slope of the modulus vs. cycles curve was found to be less conservative than the model based on the intercept of the modulus vs. cycles curve. At 50% of life, the number of cycles to final fracture was predicted with an average error of 32%.