Effects of Environment and Open Hole on the Mechanical Performance for Composite Laminate Plates

Abstract

As composites are increasingly used in aircraft, composites-based the primary-load bearing structures were gradually considered for wide application. However, to determine worst case of the primary-load bearing structures of composites is quite necessary. In this paper, to reveal the effects on the mechanical performance of composite laminate plates were made, respectively by open holes and different environments. Firstly, we obtained the benchmark of composite plates by conducting tension and compression of room temperature and dry air(RTD), tension of cold temperature and dry air (CTD), and compression of elevated temperature and wet(ETW). Then opened circle holes were introduced into composite plates to know the influence of holes. Finally, CTD and ETW environment were respectively investigated to composite plate with holes being under tension and compression loads. As shown by experimental results, open-holes decreased tension and compression mechanical performance 42% and 46% respectively, and ETW environment have 17% and 23% decreasing influence on the compression mechanical performance of composite plate and plate with holes. Furthermore, the compression damage mechanism of composite plates and plates with holes are fiber compressing-shearing fracture after fiber buckling.