Mikrofraktographische Untersuchungen zum Ermüdungsversagen vorgeschädigter Preform-CFK-Werkstoffe mit EP-Matrizes
- Carbon-fibre reinforced plastics have been widely used in the aerospace industry as
materials for structural components. During recent years, the focus has been on
preform/RTM materials with the aim of improving material properties and reducing
costs. Harnessing the full potential of these materials requires a model for assessing
the properties and in particular long-term behaviour. Such a model needs to take into
account the special conditions of these materials. Basic failure mechanisms have to
be analysed in order to develop this kind of model.
Consequently, the aim of the work was to investigate the fatigue phenomenon in
preform-CFRP materials with thermoset matrices on a microstructural level. The
influence of the dynamic loading and the temperature on the emerging fracture
phenomena should be identified. Based on the results, a common fracture mechanism
should be found. The failure should be described on a mesoscopic level so that
it is not restricted on the fatigue failure at a single crack front.
To achieve this aim, different preform materials with EP matrix (some of which had
been subjected to impact) were loaded with dynamic compression load and high
frequent alternate bending. The fatigue behaviour of the matrix systems was investigated
by CT tests.
By means of microfractography, the only method for detecting fatigue failure as such,
the failure mechanisms were analysed at submicroscopic level. The results showed
correlations between microstructure and failure.
It became apparent that what in the technical literature has been given as an explanation
for the appearance of the fatigue striations in the scanning electron microscope
had to be corrected. As undercuts are not reflected in the SEM as dark striations,
the appearance of the striations must be based on different inclinations of the
local fractured surface to the primary electron beam.
On the basis of this result the shape and the formation of the fatigue striations could
be shown in resin pockets and fibre imprints. Fatigue striations have a shape which
sticks out from the fracture plane, preferably in the form of steps.
There was no proof for an influence of the high frequent load on the formation of
fatigue striations. However, it was possible to find lamellar fracture phenomena which
have not been described in the technical literature yet. Due to their shape and their occurrence these can be understood rather as a sign of a dynamic load then as a
fracture phenomenon of a high frequent cyclic loading.
The examinations of the high frequent loaded samples, where temperatures up to
120°C occurred, as well as in the CT tests with elevated temperatures (60% Tg)
yielded no proof that the temperature has an influence on the mechanical failure
behaviour. However, the formation of the fatigue striations in high frequent loaded
specimens leads to the deduction that adiabatic heating exists at the crack tip which
leads to large plastic deformations because the glass transition temperature is exceeded
locally.
The microfractographic investigations showed that the fatigue striations appear as
separate static fractures. On account of their shape and in relation to the matching
fracture surfaces plastic processes can be held responsible for the formation of the
striations. Altogether this leads to a modification of the models for the origin of fatigue
striations prevalent in the technical literature. The suggested model associates the
real fracture growth under fatigue loading only with a small part of the loading cycle.
Crack propagation only occurs when the maximum stress intensity is reached in the
area of the upper loading of the cycle. Microplastic processes by molecular rearrangement
in the stress field ahead of the crack tip lead to the blunting of the crack
tip, which is reflected as fatigue striations on the fracture surface. Simultaneously, the
cyclic loading causes damages in the molecular network of the thermoset. This leads
to the possibility of fracture formation below the static stress at break.
On the basis of the model and of fatigue crack growth diagrams it is possible to
establish thresholds for the stress intensity necessary for crack propagation under
cyclic load. The upper threshold of the stress intensity corresponds to KC, because it
marks the transition to unstable crack growth. The lower threshold is determined by
the value of the cyclic stress intensity factor where crack growth has just ceased to
be ascertainable.
With the existing model of local crack growth under fatigue loading and the results of
the chronological course of failure from the microfractographic investigations of the
different materials it was possible to detect a general failure mechanism for the
preform-CFRP materials.
When an external alternating load is applied, an inhomogeneous stress field forms in
the composite material. In areas stressed within the growth stress, fatigue growth occurs in the form of secondary fractures within the matrix. The primary crack front
runs along these damaged points in the material until global failure occurs. This leads
to a discontinuous, stepwise failure expiration under fatigue loading. This general
mechanism permits assessment of the damage behaviour and the progression of
failure in various types of fibre reinforcement.