Predicting residual stiffness of cracked composite laminates subjected to multi-axial inplane loading

M Kashtalyan, C. Soutis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Citations (Scopus)
36 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This is a contribution to the exercise that aims to benchmark and validate the current continuum damage and fracture mechanics methodologies used for predicting the mechanical behaviour of fibre-reinforced plastic composites under complex loadings. The paper describes an analytical approach to predict the effect of intra- (matrix cracking and splitting) and inter-laminar (delamination) damage on the residual stiffness properties of the laminate, which can be used in the post-initial failure analysis, taking full account of damage mode interaction. The approach is based on a two-dimensional shear lag stress analysis and the equivalent constraint model of the damaged laminate with multiple damaged plies. The application of the approach to predicting degraded stiffness properties of a multidirectional laminate with multilayer intra- and inter-laminar damage is demonstrated for [0/90/0][0/90/0] and [0/908/0][0/908/0] cross-ply laminates made from a specific glass/epoxy system under in-plane uniaxial and biaxial loading damaged by transverse and longitudinal matrix cracks and crack-induced transverse and longitudinal delamination.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2513-2524
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Composite Materials
Volume47
Issue number20-21
Early online date30 May 2013
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding
This research arises from work carried out under EPSRC/GR/L51348 grant.

Acknowledgments
Financial support from UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is gratefully acknowledged.

Keywords

  • polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
  • matrix cracking
  • damage mechanics
  • transverse cracking

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