Shear-lag analysis of notched laminates with interlaminar debonding

Abstract

This study considers a method of analysis for predicting the fracture behavior of a notched, unidirectional lamina in the presence of surface constraint layers with debonding between the unidirectional ply and the constraint layers. Two particular cases are presented, the first being a debonded zone of finite width with no longitudinal damage in the unidirectional ply. This solution is then extended to include longitudinal matrix yielding and splitting in the unidirectional ply at the crack tip. The analysis is based on a materials modeling approach using the classical shear-lag assumption to describe the shear transfer between fibers. The fracture behavior of the laminate is studied as a function of initial crack length, the relative physical and geometric properties of the constraint plies and the unidirectional lamina, and width of the debonded zone. The results indicate that debonding can reduce the maximum fiber stress at the crack tip on the order of ten percent. This effect is maximum for a debond width of two or three fiber spacings and is independent of the initial crack length. As the debond width grows beyond this point, the maximum stress increases. For widths of about ten fiber spacings or more, the maximum fiber stress is larger than for the fully bonded case. In the presence of longitudinal matrix damage the same general behavior is found; however, the location of the maximum fiber stress is quite complex. In some cases with large matrix damage and a high constraint ratio, the maximum fiber stress can occur at the end of the debonded zone away from the crack tip.