Performance Comparison of Composite and Steel Shafts Based on Stress–Strain Response and Fatigue Life

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DOI
Journal Journal of Mechanical Engineering – Problemy Mashynobuduvannia
Publisher Anatolii Pidhornyi Institute of Power Machines and Systems
of National Academy of Science of Ukraine
ISSN  2709-2984 (Print), 2709-2992 (Online)
Issue Vol. 29, no. 2, 2026 (June)
Pages 13-21
Cited by J. of Mech. Eng., 2026, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 13-21

 

Authors

Chikwado Enyinnaya Abner, Ogbonna Onu Polytechnic (119, Aba-Owerri Rd, Abayi, Aba 450102, Abia, Nigeria), e-mail: abner.chikwado@abiastatepolytechnic.edu.ng, ORCID: 0009-0005-5102-6467

Kelechi Uchenna Ugoji, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas (P.O. Box 5027, Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria), e-mail: kelechi.ugoji@fedpolybonny.edu.ng, ORCID: 0009-0001-6482-6552

Ibim Abba Green, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas (P.O. Box 5027, Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria), e-mail: abba.green@yahoo.com, ORCID: 0009-0009-3243-6785

Shamsu Umar, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas (P.O. Box 5027, Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria), e-mail: Umarsh1203@gmail.com, ORCID: 0009-0004-9639-3829

Ndukam Billy Igbere, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas (P.O. Box 5027, Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria), e-mail: Ndukam.igbere@edu.ng, ORCID: 0009-0008-6972-0678

 

Abstract

The increasing demand for lightweight, high-performance rotating machinery has sparked growing interest in replacing traditional steel shafts with advanced composite alternatives. This study provides a comparative analysis of stress–strain behavior and fatigue life for steel and composite shafts with identical geometries, subjected to combined axial and torsional loading. The investigation combines analytical modeling, MATLAB-based numerical simulations, and fatigue life predictions using the stress–life (S–N) approach. Under the applied loading, the composite shaft shows a higher elastic strain (1.20×102) than steel (8.2×101), reflecting its lower effective modulus. Fatigue analysis demonstrates that the composite shaft can sustain nearly 1.94 times the fatigue stress amplitude of steel at 10⁷ cycles, highlighting its superior high-cycle fatigue resistance. Moreover, the composite shaft achieves a remarkable 79.6% weight reduction (3.77 kg vs. 18.50 kg for steel) and a higher safety factor (9.38 compared to 6.21). Its stiffness-to-weight ratio is over three times greater than that of steel, indicating significantly improved structural efficiency. While the initial material cost for composites is higher, the results clearly show that composite shafts offer substantial advantages in applications where fatigue performance and weight savings are critical. These findings provide a solid analytical and numerical foundation for informed material selection and the design optimization of rotating shafts.

 

Keywords: rotating machinery, composite shaft, steel shaft, fatigue life, stress-strain analysis.

 

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Received 09 May 2026
Accepted 20 May 2026
Published 30 June 2026