Finite element analysis for the fatigue behaivor of steel plates strengthened with CFRP plates

Zheng Y, Ye LP, Lu XZ, Yue QR

Key Engineering Materials, 324-325, 2006, 359-362.

Abstract: The experimental research on six steel plates strengthened with CFRP plates, loaded in tension, shows that their fatigue lives can be greatly increased compared with un-strengthened specimens.
Linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) is adopted to explain the mechanism of CFRP plates strengthening. The stress intensity factors of the steel plates are calculated with finite element method (FEM), and Paris law on crack propagation is used to predict the fatigue life of strengthened specimens. The comparison between experimental results and numerical predictions show good agreements on the fatigue crack propagation.

Keywords: CFRP, Fatigue life, linear elastic fracture mechanics, stress intensity factor