Open Access

Marc Möller, Jochen Blaurock, Gerhard Ziegmann, Alfons Esderts

• In the present paper a calculation tool for the lifetime prediction of composite materials with focus on local multiaxial stress states and different local stress ratios within each lamina is developed. The approach is based on repetitiv, progressive in-plane stress calculations using classical laminate theory with subsequent analysis of the material stressing effort and use of appropriate material degradation models. Therefore experimentally data of S-N curves are used to generate anistropic constant life diagrams for a closer examination of critical fracture planes under any given combination of local stress ratios. The model is verified against various balanced angle plies and multi-directional laminates with arbitrary stacking sequences and varying stress ratios throughout the analysis. Different sections of the model, such as residual strength and residual stiffness, are examined and verified over a wide range of load cycles. The obtained results agree very well with the analyzed experimental data.