Fatigue Limit Evaluation of Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composites (PMC) Using Self-Heating Tests and Embedded Piezoelectric Transducers

Fatigue Limit Evaluation of Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composites (PMC) Using Self-Heating Tests and Embedded Piezoelectric Transducers

Ones GAMMOUDI, Walid HARIZI, Jamal NAJD, Enrico ZAPPINO, Erasmo CARRERA

Abstract. Hybrid glass/flax fibre-reinforced polymer-matrix composites offer stiffness and damping, but conventional fatigue-limit assessment is costly and time-consuming. This study evaluates a rapid self-heating method combined with embedded polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) transducers. Five specimens manufactured by liquid resin infusion underwent tension-tension loading blocks at 5 Hz. Surface temperature and sensor capacitance were monitored throughout testing. All specimens failed during the eighth block, confirming repeatable behaviour. Both indicators increased gradually at low stresses and sharply as damage accumulated. Bilinear analysis produced consistent fatigue-limit estimates from thermal and electrical responses. Post-mortem microscopy revealed delamination, fibre breakage, and interfacial debonding. The results support self-heating as an efficient alternative to conventional S-N testing and demonstrate the potential of embedded PVDF sensors for in-situ fatigue-damage monitoring.

Keywords
Hybrid PMC, Flax/Glass Fibres, Fatigue Limit, Self-Heating, SMART Composites, Piezoelectric transducers, Structural Health Monitoring

Published online 11/8/2026, 6 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA

Citation: Ones GAMMOUDI, Walid HARIZI, Jamal NAJD, Enrico ZAPPINO, Erasmo CARRERA, Fatigue Limit Evaluation of Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composites (PMC) Using Self-Heating Tests and Embedded Piezoelectric Transducers, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 73, pp 160-165, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904459-32

The article was published as article 32 of the book Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

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