• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.3176-3183
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• 2010

A multi-scale fatigue life prediction methodology of composite pressure vessels subjected to multi-axial loading has been proposed in this paper. The multi-scale approach starts from the constituents, fiber, matrix and interface, leading to predict behavior of ply, laminates and eventually the composite structures. The multi-scale fatigue life prediction methodology is composed of two steps: macro stress analysis and micro mechanics of failure based on fatigue analysis. In the macro stress analysis, multi-axial fatigue loading acting at laminate is determined from finite element analysis of composite pressure vessel, and ply stresses are computed using a classical laminate theory. The micro stresses are calculated in each constituent from ply stresses using a micromechanical model. Three methods are employed in predicting fatigue life of each constituent, i.e. a maximum stress method for fiber, an equivalent stress method for multi-axially loaded matrix, and a critical plane method for the interface. A modified Goodman diagram is used to take into account the generic mean stresses. Damages from each loading cycle are accumulated using Miner's rule. Monte Carlo simulation has been performed to predict the overall fatigue life of a composite pressure vessel considering statistical distribution of material properties of each constituent, fiber volume fraction and manufacturing winding angle.