A novel semi-analytical approach for predicting the buckling and postbuckling behaviour of Glare fibre metal laminates

Abstract

A semi-analytical model based on the variational principle, the Rayleigh–Ritz method and the Ramberg–Osgood formula is developed to analyse the buckling and postbuckling analysis of Glare® fibre-metal laminates (FMLs) under axial compression. The model is applied to examine the failure behaviour of standard Glare® 4B specimens. It allows computational efficient modelling of composite plates under pure or mixed stress boundary conditions with geometric imperfections, which have been shown to cause a considerable effect on their buckling and postbuckling behaviour. It is implemented in MATLAB. Results are compared with those obtained from a 3D Finite Element (FE) explicit dynamic nonlinear analysis implemented in the Abaqus/Explicit solver. The FE model incorporates progressive damage and failure using a cohesive zone model for inter-laminar layers and continuum material damage models for constituents, considering both geometric imperfections and load eccentricity. Finally, a series of specimens under compression loading are tested for the purpose of validation. Tests are monitored using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) for the determination and visualisation of principal strains, and Acoustic Emission (AE) for detection and location of damage initiation and evolution. Excellent correlation is observed between the analytical predictions, and both FEA and experimental results.