Prediction of Failure mode of thin FRP laminate under Thermal Loading

Abstract

The present work deals with the prediction of failure mode in thin FRP laminates under uniform temperature. The failure occurs either in static or in buckling mode for a thin FRP laminate. A 2-D finite element method that works on classical lamination theory is employed to analyze the structure which in the form of a thin rectangular plate. The problem is modeled in commercial software ANSYS version 12. Effect of plate in-plane aspect ratio (a/b), Fiber stacking sequence ((i) symmetric cross ply, (ii) Quasi-isotropic, and (iii) symmetric angle ply with 450 angle) on mode of failure is studied for three different composite materials ((i) E-Glass/Epoxy with Vf = 0.55, (ii) Kevlar 49/Epoxy with Vf = 0.60, and (iii) Carbon/Epoxy bidirectional fabric with Vf = 0.62).