Delaminations in Composite Plates Subjected to Transverse Loading

Abstract

Experiments were performed to study the growth of damage in fibre reinforced cross-ply carbon/epoxy composite plates subjected to transverse loads. The critical strain energy release rate for delamination growth was determined by relating the delamination area to the amount of energy dissipated by the formation of that delamination. This critical strain energy release rate was also compared with the values of the critical strain energy release rates for fracture in mode I and mode II.