Progressive delamination analysis of CFRP laminated plate under compressive loading

Abstract

This paper examined the delamination behavior of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminated plate subjected to a compressive load using finite element analysis. A 3D model consisting of two plies of bidirectional CFRP laminate with an initial delamination at two spots at the interface is modelled using COMOL multiphysics software. Cohesive elements simulates the delamination at the interface using the traction separation law, which includes both the initial linear elastic phase and linear softening phase. The result shows that the cohesive zone model delivers an exceptional predictions of the crack growth in laminated composites. Also it was revealed that bottom layer undergoes higher stresses than the top layer due to the bending effects and fiber orientation.