ESTIMATION OF LAMINATE STIFFNESS REDUCTION DUE TO CRACKING OF A TRANSVERSE PLY BY EMPLOYING CRACK INITIATION-AND PROPAGATION-BASED MASTER CURVES

摘要

The applicability range of toughness- and strength-based criteria for progressive cracking of a transverse layer in a cross-ply composite laminate subjected to tensile loading is considered. Using a deterministic cracking model, approximate relations for the crack density as a function of stress are derived for initiation- and propagation-controlled types of cracking. The master-curve approach is applied to progressive cracking in glass/epoxy laminates. The accuracy of estimation of laminate stiffness reduction by using crack density master curves is evaluated.