Numerical analysis of size effects on open-hole tensile composite laminates

作者：Chen B Y^*; Tay T E; Baiz P M; Pinho S T

来源：Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing , 2013, 47: 52-62.

DOI：10.1016/j.compositesa.2012.12.001

• Laminates
• Fracture toughness
• Strength
• Computational modelling

The tensile strength of open-hole fibre reinforced composite laminates depends on in-plane, thickness and ply lay-up scaling. Translaminar (fibre direction) mode I fracture toughness has recently been experimentally determined to be thickness dependent. This paper presents a computational study of the tensile strength prediction of open-hole laminates using a cohesive zone model. To the authors' knowledge, it is for the first time in the literature that the thickness-dependence of translaminar fracture toughness is accounted for in the numerical modelling of composites. The thickness size effect in the strength of open-hole composite laminates failed by pull-out is accurately predicted for the first time by a deterministic model. It is found that neglecting delamination in the numerical models will lead to mesh-dependency and over-estimation on the predicted strength. Smeared crack model with cohesive elements to model delamination is able to predict the correct failure mode; but it is found not suitable for accurate strength predictions for laminates failed by delamination.

• 出版日期2013-4