Thermal and mechanical fatigue analysis of CFRP laminates

[0°/90°] s and [±45°] s CFRP laminated plates were analysed using a finite element formulation for their fatigue behaviour. A fatigue criterion which is based on the laminate interlaminar stresses and the basic lamina fatigue parameters was used. Thermal effects were included in the formulation. In particular, initial thermal stresses resulting from the curing of the laminate were also included in the analysis. The results showed that both laminates had predicted S- N behaviour similar to that from experiments of past investigators. Also, the fatigue behaviour for the [±45°] s laminate between room temperature and the curing temperature were found to be the same. However, in the case of the [0°/90°] s laminate the fatigue strength at high temperatures was found to be lower than that at low temperatures.