PREDICTIONS OF THE ORIGINAL AND TRUNCATED MAXIMUM-STRAIN FAILURE MODELS FOR CERTAIN FIBROUS COMPOSITE LAMINATES

This article represents the author's contribution to a world-wide exer cise originated in UK and aimed at confirming the state-of-the-art for prediction of failure in composites. The use of the original and trun cated versions of the maximum-strain failure criterion for fibre/polym er composites is illustrated by sample solutions of specific problems provided by the organizers of the exercise. The intent of this exercis e is to compare the independent predictions for these same problems ma de by several originators of composite failure models-both with each o ther and with the experimental data to be supplied later. The organize rs' requests covered both failure envelopes and stress/strain curves. Only the former are addressed here. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.