Compression failure and fiber-kinking modelling of laminated composites

A. Kabiri Ataabadi, S. Ziaei-Rad, H. Hosseini-Toudeshky

Steel and Composite Structures, Vol. 12, No. 1 (2011) pp. 53-72

ABSTRACT

In this study, the physically-based failure models for matrix and fibers in compression and tension loading are introduced. For the 3D stress based fiber kinking model a modification is proposed for calculation of the fiber misalignment angle. All of these models are implemented into the finite element code by using the advantage of damage variable and the numerical results are discussed. To investigate the matrix failure model, purely in-plane transverse compression experiments are carried out on the specimens made by Glass/Epoxy to obtain the fracture surface angle and then a comparison is made with the calculated numerical results. Furthermore, shear failure of (±45)s model is investigated and the obtained numerical results are discussed and compared with available experimental results. Some experiments are also carried out on the woven laminated composites to investigate the fracture pattern in the matrix failure mode and shown that the presented matrix failure model can be used for the woven composites. Finally, the obtained numerical results for stress based fiber kinking model and improved ones (strain based model) are discussed and compared with each other and with the available results. The results show that these models can predict the kink band angle approximately.

Keywords:

laminated composite; compression; fiber-kinking; matrix failure.

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