Advanced Materials Research Vols.

941-944 (2014) pp 1552-1557 Online: 2014-06-06

© (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.941-944.1552

Calculating Fatigue Life of Helicopter Composite Blades Based on The

Residual Strength Theory

WANG Wei1,a, ZHU Yu-lin 1,b,XIAO Qi-min1,c

1
The First Aeronautic Institute of the Air Force, Xinyang, 464000, Henan, China
2
The First Aeronautic Institute of the Air Force, Xinyang, 464000, Henan, China
3
The First Aeronautic Institute of the Air Force, Xinyang, 464000, Henan, China
a
Wangwei12201@126.com,b181557077@qq.com,c309594665@qq.com

：
Key Words Residual strength theory Helicopter blades ； ；Composite material；Fatigue life
Abstract: This paper presents a method for calculating the fatigue life of helicopter composite
material blade with residual strength theory. Builded the residual strength model, analyzed the
influence of loading sequence, tensile -- compressed between the conversion and failure probability,
adopt corresponding treatment plan. Using the model of residual strength, selected 19 typical flight
condition, using the "rain flow counting method" load matrix, finally get the helicopter load
spectrum. The composite blade dangerous section are calculated (root maximum strain), combined
with every moment and centrifugal force, the flight state determined blade the stress spectrum, then
according to the blade model and material characteristic parameters were calculated, results show
that the residual strength decreases with the increase of flight time, and the failure probability
increased with the flight time increasing. By comparison, the calculation results and full size is
consistent with the experimental results, which shows the calculation is reliable.

Introduction
Composites during fatigue loading process due to various injuries and the strength degradation, the
degradation reflect the degree of the damage in materials. The residual strength of fiber composites
under fatigue loading is one of the important properties of composite materials, it is often the basis
for fatigue life prediction of composite material, the residual strength theory, the main point is the
structure of the inspection period, structure damage, but as long as the crack propagation rate is
slow, the structure is the residual strength enough, not the final destruction in the two check period,
that the structure is safe. Fatigue life calculation of the composite blade with residual strength
theory, application of load spectrum is the use of stress spectrum.

Residual strength model

Through unremitting efforts, people put forward the remaining strength of various models[1-5],
Hashin and Roten to establish the relationship between the fatigue strength and the static strength of
composite materials:
S f = S s . f ( Rο , N ; w, θ ) (1)
The data suggests that fatigue test of composite laminated non gap, the residual strength of R
after N cycles (n) is a decrease with the number of cycles n monotone function, rate is inversely
proportional to its residual strength C-1 square of residual strength left hypothesis, i.e.:
dR / dn = [− f ( s, Rσ , w,θ )]R c−1 (n) (2)

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 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 941-944 1553

C is a constant, the simplified:

dR / dn = [− f ( s ) / c]R c−1 (n) (3)

Formula: F (S) function of stress for the maximum S.

Equation expresses the residual strength in the N cycle can be used when the ultimate strength
of R (0), cyclic number N and the maximum stress of S to characterize the shape, the attenuation
depends on the C value. Literature shows that, the ultimate strength of R (0) with the two parameter
Weibull distribution[6]:
FR(n) (x) = P[R(n) ≤ x] =1− exp[−(x / β )α ] (4)
Assuming that the residual strength is reduced to the maximum stress level fatigue failure of S.
The formula can be launched the fatigue life of N.
If we do not consider the influence of environment and frequency, residual strength determined
peak in cyclic loading S, stress ratio R and cycle number n. Composite when subjected to fatigue
loads, material will cause damage, the damage is irreversible, so from a macro perspective, the
residual strength decreased with the number of cycles of monotone, and has the following
characteristics:
1) R (0) = σ b ; is the initial residual strength value equal to destroy the strength of the material;
2)R ( N f ) = S, this is a failure criterion, namely when the residual strength equal to fatigue load
peak, material damage, the fatigue life cycles.
3) R (0) is monotone decreasing function, with "sudden death (sudden death)".
Meet (1), (2) function: R(n) = R(0) − ( R(0) − S ) f (n / N f ) [4], Feature (3) determined by f (n / N f ) .

Factors to be considered when calculating the residual strength

Conversion of loading sequence and tensile, compression
Each level in the cycle can be a residual strength, the residual strength can be calculated under the
level before the equivalent cycle number, use the equivalent cycle number can be calculated from
the residual strength of the next level after cycle. And so on, until the maximum peak residual
strength drop failure load. Calculating the residual strength of the composite plate in the loading
spectrum, must consider the loading sequence and tensile -- conversion factors such as compression
effect of [7].
There are very different residual strength and fatigue life of composite plate under different
loading sequence, the general approach is the introduction of circular mixed factor, the current level
of cyclic mean stress than a big, the processing:
R (n) → R (n) − CM (5)
h
 ∆S 
CM = Cm R0  mn  (6)
 R ( n) 
Type: ∆S mn is the average stress increment; ∆S max is the peak stress value; C m for circular
mixed factor, determined by the test.
According to the existing research results, when n j / N j < 0.001 , the load order have a great
influence on residual strength decreased; when n j / N j > 0.001, the impact is very small, can be
neglected.
1554 Materials and Processes Technologies V

Probability of failure
Composite blades in the first level load cycles with two parameter failure probability of Weibull:
  
B fj ( n j )

   
  j    S max j   (7)
P  R ∑ ni  ≤ S max j  = 1 − exp −  
  i =1     j
 
  R ∑ n j   
   i =1   
 

Of which: B fj (n j ) is the residual strength of the shape parameter, can be obtained by the
following relationship:
(1) if Blj < B fj −1 (n j −1 ) , then
j −1
ni n
B fj ( n) = Bs − ∑ ( Bs − Blj ) − ( Bs − Blj ) (8)
i =1 Ni Nj
(2) if Blj < B fj −1 (n j −1 ) and B fj (n) ≤ Blj , then
B fj (n) = Blj (9)
(3) if Blj ≥ B fj −1 (n j −1 ) , then
B fj (n) = Blj −1 (n j −1 ) (10)
Type: Bs as the material shape parameters, B fj (n j ) and Blj respectively, parameter and

fatigue life shape parameter strength shape residual level j under cyclic loading.

Calculation process and results

For a certain type of helicopter composite material blade, was calculated using the residual strength
theory, the load spectrum refer to table 1, select 19 typical flight condition, using the "rain flow
counting method" load matrix, finally get the helicopter load spectrum, the safety factor obtained in
Table 1 for the real load spectrum is multiplied by 2.
Tab.1 Actual load spectrum (Unit: Mpa)
The The Number of The The Number
The flight average maximum The flight average maximum of cycles
cycles n fj
state j stress state j stress n fj
stress S max j stress S max j
S mnj S mnj

1. Hover 542.6 541.8 21 ＝

11.λ 0.27 533.2 774.0 8344
2.Growth 516.0 550.4 5 12.Decline curve 464.4 756.8 2
takeoff
3. Climb 481.6 791.7 42 13. Hover 516.0 774.0 16
4. Vertical rise 481.6 808.4 3 14. Straight down 516.0 670.8 2
5. Climbing 481.6 825.6 7 15. Exit the slide 516.0 602.0 1
turn
＝
6.λ 0.07 550.4 825.6 74 16. Rotation 550.4 670.8 2
＝
7.λ 0.14 516.0 705.2 3 17. Roll landing 550.4 602.0 2
＝
8.λ 0.17 533.2 739.6 3252 18.Ground air 481.6 860.0 1
ground
9.λ＝0.2 511.0 683.0 3425 19. Droop stop 344.0 860.0 1
10.Horizontal 550.4 774.0 26
curve
The composite blade dangerous section are calculated (root maximum strain), combined with
every moment and centrifugal force, the flight state determined blade the stress spectrum, then
according to the blade model and material characteristic parameters were calculated, the calculation
process is shown in figure 1.
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 941-944 1555

Blade material adopts T800/5245 [(± 45,0 2 )2 ]s , the initial strength of R (0) =1670Mpa, The shape

parameter Bs = 21.37, Cm= 5.38×10-7, corresponding to each flight fatigue life shape parameters are
calculated in table 2.

Fig.1 Calculation procedure of Residual Strength Theory

Tab.2 Fatigue life shape parameter of composite material T800/5245 [(± 45,02 )2 ]s
The flight state 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Shape parameters 1.02
1.46 1.44 1.0 0.98 0.96 0.96 1.12 1.07 1.16
Blj
The flight state 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Shape parameters 1.02 1.05 1.02 1.18 1.32 1.18 1.32 0.92 0.92
Blj
By the calculation results can be seen in Figure 2, the residual strength decreases with the
increase of flight time, and the failure probability increased with the increase of flight time.
Considering the structural integrity requirements, the failure probability of 90%, the fatigue life of
the beam is about 23000 hours, covering about 23800 hours. As can be seen from the graph, the
skin up to 15000 hours, the beam at 20000 hours, the failure probability of a rapid growth, and in
the 25000 hour fast reach 1, mean a complete failure. Calculation of full size experimental results
and literature in [8] coincide, the computation is reliable.
1556 Materials and Processes Technologies V

Fig.2 Rariation of Residual strength and failure probability to flight time

Conclusion
From the above analysis, the fatigue life is calculated by using the model of residual strength of
composite blades is feasible. This metho. This method can predict the fatigue life of composite
structure is reliable, effective, but many test data is essential. Note that determine the shape
parameters, they directly determine the accuracy of the calculation of the failure probability. The
residual strength theory to physical process of the failure of the composite reaction, the fatigue life
of composite blades for calculation than in reference [9] linear cumulative damage theory of the
calculation results more in line with the actual situation, the effectiveness of prediction and higher
accuracy.

References
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reinforced plastics[R]. Composite Materials: Testing and Design (2nd Conference): ASTM
STP497, Philadelphia, American Society for Testing and Materials, 1972: 170-188.
[2] Yang J N, Liu M D. Residual strength degradation model and theory of periodic proof tests for
graphite epoxy laminates[J]. Journal of Composite Material, 1977, 11(2): 176-203.
[3] Hashin Z. Cumulative damage theory for composite materials: residual life and residual strength
methods[J]. Composites Science and Technology, 1985, 23:1-19.
[ 4] Charewicz A M, Danile I M. Damage mechanisms and accumulation in graphite epoxy
laminates[R] Composite materials: fatigue and fracture: ASTM STP 907. Philadelphia:
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1986: 274-297.
[5] Schaff J R, Davidson B D. Life prediction methodology for composite structures: Part I
Constant amplitude and two stress level fatigue[J]. Journal of Composite Materials, 1997,31(2):
128-157.
[6] Weixing Yao. The fatigue life of structure [M]. Beijing: National Defence Industry Press, 2003:
212-218.( In Chinese)
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 941-944 1557

[7] Yi Gu.Tensile residual strength and distribution [J]. Journal of Nanjing University of
Aeronautics & Astronautics, 1994, 31(2):164-171. ( In Chinese)
[8] Jung-Ho Kwon, Kyung-Jung Hwang, Seok-Soo Kim, Pan-Jo Kim, Choon-Sam Kim. Fatigue
Life Evaluation in Composite Rotor Blade of Multipurpose Helicopter, Aerospace Techniques
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Calculating Fatigue Life of Helicopter Composite Blades Based on the Residual Strength Theory
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