DELAMINATION INTERACTION IN LAMINATED STRUCTURES

A triple plate finite element model was proposed to analyze delaminati on interaction in laminated structures. This model was verified by com parison with an axisymmetric finite element solution on a double delam inated structure. With this model, the results of delamination interac tion in a three-point bending composite laminate and a circular lamina ted plate were obtained. In the case of a three-point bending laminate , both the bending crack induced and the shear crack-induced delaminat ions will grow at the same time eventually, while in the case of a cir cular delaminated plate, the vertical distance between these two delam inations has a significant effect on their interaction. Depending on t his distance, one delamination may have a shielding effect on the othe r, while the other delamination may have negligible effect on the form er. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.