The Influence of Size and Location on the Response of Composite Structures with Delaminations Loaded in Compression

摘要

Experimental and analytical approaches for studying the response of delaminations to in-plane compressive loads are presented. Laminates were manufactured with delaminations via an implanted thin, teflon film. The out of plane displacements were monitored via shadow moire. A nonlinear, sublaminate analysis was developed using an assumed modes Rayleigh-Ritz, minimum potential energy procedure. Sublaminate growth was predicted using previously published critical Mode I interlaminar strain energy release rates (G_(IC)) and compared to the experimental results. Good agreement was found between the analytical model and the experimental results. An important conclusion is that simple, linear sublaminate buckling models may not be adequate for predicting delamination propagation and laminate failure. An important result of the study is that delamination size and depth are independent, critical parameters for delamination propagation.