Fatigue Life Prediction of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic-Matrix Composites at Room and Elevated Temperatures. Part I: Experimental Analysis

This paper presents an experimental analysis on the fatigue behavior in C/SiC ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs) with different fiber preforms, i.e., unidirectional, cross-ply and 2.5D woven, at room and elevated temperatures in air atmosphere. The experimental fatigue life S − N curves of C/SiC composites corresponding to different stress levels and test conditions have been obtained. The damage evolution processes under fatigue loading have been analyzed using fatigue hysteresis modulus and fatigue hysteresis loss energy. By comparing the experimental fatigue hysteresis loss energy with theoretical computational values, the interface shear stress corresponding to different peak stress, fiber preforms and test conditions have been estimated. It was found that the degradation of interface shear stress and fibres strength caused by oxidation markedly decreases the fatigue life of C/SiC composites at elevated temperature.