3-DIMENSIONAL FINITE-ELEMENT MODELING OF DELAMINATION GROWTH IN NOTCHED COMPOSITE LAMINATES UNDER COMPRESSION LOADING

Composite materials are widely used in the aerospace industry because of their specific advantages over conventional metals. In these materi als, delamination growth leading to failure is one of the major failur e mechanisms. In the present work, notched laminates with concentric c ircular initial delaminations are prepared. Fatigue tests are carried out for various cycles and the delamination growths in the laminates a re recorded with a C-scanner. Three-dimensional finite element models are developed to study the delamination growth. Strain energy release rates are used as fracture mechanics parameters to describe the delami nation propagation. Variation of the strain energy release rates along the delamination front is determined. Delamination growth patterns ar e predicted. Experimental and the finite element analysis results are found to be in good agreement. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.