Analysis of Damage and Crack Propagation in Unidirectional Composite Laminates with a Peridynamic Model

Abstract

A continuous function was applied to establish a peridynamics model to study the damage of unidirectional composite laminate, a kind of transverse isotropic material with three-dimensional (3D) structure. To express the interaction of nonadjacent layers and the influence of thickness on elastic deformation and damage, this paper employed a spherical material horizon. The spherical harmonics function was applied to express the relationship of the micro-elastic modulus and the bond-fiber angle, as well as critical bond stretch and the bond-fiber angle, respectively. Spatial stress or strain conditions were employed to calculate the strain energy density and solve the bond stiffness constant. The model was verified with unidirectional multilayer composite laminate with orifice. The damage mode and the crack propagation process of laminates with orifice were also consistent with that of experimental.