MECHANICAL BENDING BEHAVIOR OF COMPOSITE T-BEAMS

A study of the design and mechanical behaviour of co-cured T-beams sub jected to very high loading is presented. The T-beams were made by pre ss moulding from pre-pregs of uni-directional glass or carbon fibre an d glass fabric reinforced high performant epoxy matrix. Each type of b eam was instrumented with strain gauges in the web and flange in order to carry out experimental four point bending tests. Analytical and nu merical studies were also performed to compare experimental versus num erical and analytical results and to establish the suitability of a si mplified bending theory for statically determinate composite beams con structed from laminated composite panels. The maximum carrying loads i n the beam layers were evaluated experimentally and analytically using the Tsai-Wu failure criterion. Results showing the suitability of the simplified beam theory are presented and discussed.