On probabilistic fatigue models for composite materials

The general purpose of this article is to review the main ideas in fatigue analysis of composites in the context of the application of probabilistic methods, both theoretical and computational. That is why most deterministic concepts of composite materials fatigue are summarized together with stochastic approaches. The application of the perturbation based Stochastic Finite Element Method (SFEM) to fatigue analysis of homogeneous and heterogeneous media is shown. Further, homogenization method in its effective modules approach is proposed below for application in fatigue processes modeling of linear elastic periodic random composites. Considering stochastic character of the analysis, the reliability tools appropriate to multicomponent materials are presented together with the specially adopted brittle and ductile fracture criteria.