Statistical analysis of data from truncated fatigue life and correspondingresidual strength experiments for polymer matrix composites

A statistical analysis method for the evaluation of data from truncated fat igue life experiments and corresponding residual strength tests of polymer matrix composites is presented. This method is based on the conclusion that under a given fatigue stress S-o the conditional probability of specimen s urvival at a given fatigue life N-o is equal to the conditional probability that the residual strength of specimens at the fatigue life N-o is greater than S-o. This conclusion is deduced from the assumption that for a given specimen, the residual strength decreases monotonously as the fatigue life increases. Some experimental data are applied to demonstrate the analytical ability of the analysis method from which satisfactory results have been o btained. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.