Static and Dynamic Fatigue of Glass–Carbon Hybrid Composites in Fluid Environment

Abstract

Unidirectional glass fiber reinforced and glass-carbon fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite samples (% glass to carbon fiber volume ratio 90: 10 and 75: 25)were subject to two-point bend rupture test in distilled water at 75 C and tension-tension cyclic test in both air and distilled water at 25 C. In the rupture test, while no obvious difference in rupture time was observed at larger deflections, glass– carbon hybrid samples showed prolonged rupture time in comparison to all-glass samples when loaded at 10% maximum deflection. When compared to samples tests in air, cyclic loading in water resulted in shorter fatigue lives for both all-glass and hybrid composite samples. However, hybrid samples showed better environmental fatigue resistance in water than all-glass samples, to 10 ⁷ cycles. By incorporating appropriate amount of carbon fibers in glass fiber composite, long-term performance of glass–carbon hybrid composites under static and dynamic fatigue is substantially enhanced. It is demonstrated by the present study that the intra-ply hybrid approach is effective and economical in improving the durability of fiber reinforced polymer composites for long term applications.

Keywords

hybrid composite stress rupture environmental fatigue

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Liao, K. , Schultheisz, C.R. , Hunston, D.L. and Brinson, L.C. (1998). Long-term durability of fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composite materials for infrastructure applications: A review. SAMPE, Journal of Advanced Materials, 39(4): 2–40.

2. Machieux, C.A. , Russell, B.E. and Reifsnider, K.L. (1998). Stress rupture of unidirectional high performance thermoplastic composites in end-loaded bending at elevated temperatures. Part I: experimental characterization of the failure mode. Journal of Composite Materials, 32(14): 1311–1321.

3. French, M.A. and Pritchard, G. (1992). Environmental stress corrosion of hybrid fibre composites. Composites Science and Technology, 45: 257–263.

4. Vauthier, E. , Abry, J.C. , Bailliez, T. and Chateauminois, A. (1998). Interactions between hygrothermal ageing and fatigue damage unidirectional glass/epoxy composites. Composites Science and Technology, 58: 687–692.

5. Jones, C.J. , Dickson, R.F. , Adam, T. , Reiter, H. and Harris, B. (1983). Environmental fatigue behavior of reinforced plastics. Composites, 14(3): 288–293.

6. Sumsion, H.T. and Williams, D.P. (1975). Effect of enviroment on the fatigue of graphite-epoxy composites. In: Fatigue of Composite Materials, AASTM STP 569. American Society for Testing and Materials. pp. 226–247.

7. Komai, K. , Minoshima, K. and Shiroshita, S. (1991). Hygrothermal degradation and fracture process of advanced fibre-reinforced plastics. Materials Science and Engineering, A143: 155–166.

8. McBagnoluri, F. , Garcia, K. , Hayers, M. , Verghese, K.N.E. and Lesko, J.J. (2000). Characterization of fatigue and combined environment on durability performance of glass/vinyl ester composite for infrastructure applications. International Journal of Fatigue, 22: 53–64.

9. Liao, K. , Schultheisz, C.R. and Hunston, D.L. (1999). Long-term environmental fatigue of pultruded glass-fiber-reinforced composites under flexural loading. International Journal of Fatigue, 21: 485–495.

10.

10. Hofer, K.E.Jr. , Stander, M. and Bennett, L.C. (1977). Degradation and enhancement of the fatigue behavior of glass/graphite/epoxy hybrid composites after accelerated aging. In: Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Technical Conference. The Society of the Plastics Industries, Inc. Section 11-F.

11.

11. Manders, P.W. and Bader, M.G. (1981). The strength of hybrid glass/carbon fiber composites, Part 2. Journal of Materials Science, 16: 2246–2256.

12.

12. Peijis, A.A.J.M. and De Kok, J.M.M. (1993). Hybrid composites based on polyethylene and carbon fibres, Part 6: Tensile and fatigue behavior. Composites, 24(1): 19–32.

13.

13. Agarwal, B.D. and Broutman, L.J. (1980). In Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites. New York: John Wiley and Sons. pp. 223–287.

14.

14. Michalske, T.A. and Freiman, S.W. (1982). A molecular interpretation of stress corrosion in silica. Nature, 295(11): 511–512.

15.

15. Reifsnider, K.L. , Schulte, K. and Duke, J.C. Jr. (1983). Long-term fatigue behavior of composite materials. In: O’ Brien, T.Z. (ed.), Long-term Behavior of Composites, ASTM STP 813. Philadelphia: American Society of Testing and Materials. pp. 136–159.

16.

16. Wiederhor, S.M. (1973). Mechanics of subcritical crack growth in glass. In: Bradt, R.C. , Hasselman, D.P.H. and Lange, F.F. (eds.), Symposium on the Fracture Mechanics of Ceramic, Volume 2: Microstructure, Materials and Applications. Plenum Press. pp. 549–581.