ABSTRACT
Designers of reinforced composite usually factors in fatigue failure because collapse of composites is sudden and without earlier notice, hence it is imperative to comprehend and foresee the fatigue life of composites. This study involved evaluation of theoretical fatigue response of plantain fiber reinforced composites under cyclic loading stress levels. Based on the available material data a fatigue analysis was carried out on an ANSYS Workbench and the results of the simulation are documented. Rotating beam model was subjected to loads between 2039g to 85656g at a constant radial speed of 146.61rad/sec and the number of cycles to failure was established. The fatigue analysis was set to constant amplitude, cyclic and proportional loading method and the analysis type used is mean stress correction for stress life. The mean stress theory is set to Gerber’s failure criterion. According to Von Misses criterion for failure, the maximum load the specimen can withstand without yielding at this given condition is 610N and the equivalent stress at this point is 3.3977 × 107Pa. The result of the fatigue life from simulation shows that the specimen will withstand 1.0999 × 105 cycles before failure. The damage result was at 9092 and the factor of safety ranges from a minimum value of 2.537 to a maximum value of 15. Generally, the results showed that fatigue strength decrease as number of cycles increased.
