Fatigue crack growth properties of a GLARE3-5/4 fiber metal laminate

The objective of this study is to investigate the properties of fatigue cra ck growth in GLARE3-5/4 fiber/metal laminate and the validity of two method s for analyzing the fatigue crack growth of fiber/ metal laminates. GLARE3- 5/4 consists of five thin sheets of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy and four layers of (0/90) glass/epoxy; Centrally notched specimens were fatigue tested unde r constant amplitude loading and crack length was measured using the DC pot ential-drop method. The size of the delamination produced between aluminum alloy sheets and fiber-adhesive layers was measured from ultrasonic C-scan pictures taken around the fatigue crack. The test results indicated the fea tures of fatigue crack growth in GLARE3-5/4. The Validity of the two method s for analyzing the fatigue crack growth of fiber/metal laminates is discus sed based on the test results. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.