Damage States in Laminated Composite Three-Point Bend Specimens: An Experimental-Analytical Correlation Study

摘要

Damage states in laminated composites were studied by considering the model problem of a laminated beam subjected to three-point bending. A combination of experimental and theoretical research techniques was used to correlate the experimental results with the analytical stress distributions. The analytical solution procedure was based on the stress formulation approach of the mathematical theory of elasticity. The solution procedure is capable of calculating the ply-level stresses and beam displacements for any laminated beam of finite length using the generalized plane deformation or plane stress state assumption. The beam lamination can be any arbitrary combination of monoclinic, orthotropic, transversely-isotropic, and isotropic layers. Prior to conducting the experimental phase of the study the results from preliminary analyses were examined. Significant effects in the ply-level stress distributions were seen depending on the fiber orientation, aspect ratio, and whether or not grouped or interspersed stacking sequence was used.