Abstract
An analytical approach with the help of numerical simulations based on the equivalent constraint model (ECM) was proposed to investigate the progressive failure behavior of symmetric fiber-reinforced composite laminates damaged by transverse ply cracking. A fracture criterion was developed to describe the initiation and propagation of the transverse ply cracking. This work was also concerned with a statistical distributions of the critical fracture toughness values with due consideration given to the scale size effect. The Monte Carlo simulation technique coupled with statistical analysis was applied to study the progressive cracking behaviors of composite structures, by considering the effects of lamina properties and lay-up configurations. The results deduced from the numerical procedure were in good agreement with the experimental results obtained for laminated composites formed by unidirectional fiber reinforced laminae with different orientations.
Highlights
Laminated polymer composites are of considerable interest in a spectrum of structural applications on account of their superior mechanical performance, such as light weight, high specific strength and Polymers 2014, 6 stiffness
In the previous papers [18,19], the reduction of the stiffness properties and the energy release rates due to transverse ply cracking for the balanced symmetric composite laminates were predicted by the equivalent constraint model (ECM)
We summarize our research work and propose an analytical approach that has the capacity of predicting the progressive failure of material structures damaged by transverse matrix cracking subjected to quasi-static loading, appropriate for the mechanical analysis of fiber reinforced composite laminates [20]
Summary
Laminated polymer composites are of considerable interest in a spectrum of structural applications on account of their superior mechanical performance, such as light weight, high specific strength and Polymers 2014, 6 stiffness. In the previous papers [18,19], the reduction of the stiffness properties and the energy release rates due to transverse ply cracking for the balanced symmetric composite laminates were predicted by the equivalent constraint model (ECM). We summarize our research work and propose an analytical approach that has the capacity of predicting the progressive failure of material structures damaged by transverse matrix cracking subjected to quasi-static loading, appropriate for the mechanical analysis of fiber reinforced composite laminates [20]. The energy release rate associated with matrix cracking in the transverse layer of general symmetric composite laminates is presented using a 2D shear lag stress analysis and the ECM [2,21]. The results are compared with those obtained from experiments and other existing models
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