METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CARPET PLOTS FOR NOTCHED COMPRESSION STRENGTH OF CARBON-FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC MULTIDIRECTIONAL LAMINATES

This paper outlines a newly developed method for the calculation of th e notched compression strength of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFR P) laminates. The BAe-Warton laminate strength prediction method (1) i s used to predict the unnotched strength of the laminate and the Souti s er al. model (2) to predict the notch effect. Notched and unnotched strengths are reported for a wide range of T800/924C and T800/5245C ca rbon fibre-epoxy multidirectional laminates with 0 degrees, +/-45 degr ees and/or 90 degrees lay-ups; results are compared with theoretical p redictions and in most cases the error is less than 10 per cent. Carpe t plots of open hole compression strength for different T800/5245C lay -ups tested at room temperature (RT)/dry and 100 degrees C/wet are pro duced. Finally, the open hole strengths generated by the Soutis et al. (2) model are factored by using appropriate experimental data to allo w for plain and countersunk filled holes.