Experimental Investigation of the Fatigue Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Composites under Cyclic Loading Conditions

The research presented here aims to conduct a performance assessment of fiber-reinforced composites (FRC) under cyclic loading with emphasis on Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) & Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP). FRCs’ use in engineering applications is occasioned by the high strength-to-weight ratios despite the poor performance under cyclic loads. In the experiments conducted CFRP was found to more than double the fatigue life for similar applied stress compared to GFRP. The study also brings out the nature of damage in each composite where GFRP is seen to be more vulnerable to matrix crack, fiber breakage, and delamination which reduce its fatigue life. On the other hand, CFRP exhibits high stiffness and high strength, which can prevent further damage to the composite structure and increase Fatigue endurance ability. These observations imply the necessity of material choice in high-stress conditions and indicate the possibility of utilizing hybrid composites to achieve a satisfactory combination of cost and service life. The following findings of the investigation of this paper will thus be useful for the improvement of FRCs in aerospace, automotive, and civil engineering where durability due to cyclic loading is crucial. Further research should be aimed at considering the influence of temperature and moisture on FRC fatigue behavior to improve the corresponding reliability at various conditions.