INTERLAMINAR STRESSES IN A CENTRALLY NOTCHED COMPOSITE LAMINATE

A plane stress solution for an anisotropic plate with a circular hole, developed by Savin, is extended to derive the interlaminar stresses i n a centrally notched composite laminate under uniform tension. Based upon Lekhnitskii's stress potentials, theory of anisotropic elastic bo dy and boundary layer effect, stress shapes are chosen such that the z eroth order equilibrium equations, interface continuity and boundary c onditions are satisfied. The unknown parameters in the stress expressi ons are then determined by the requirement of stress integral equilibr ium. The merit of our model is highlighted by obtaining the interlamin ar stresses and the order of boundary layer singularity simultaneously . Several examples of [0/90]s, [+/-45]s and [0/90/+/- 45]s graphite/ep oxy composite laminates containing centrally circular holes are analys ed.