Thermoelastic-numerical hybrid analysis of holes and cracks in composites

An effective thermoelastic-numerical hybrid method is demonstrated for obta ining stress information on, and adjacent to, geometric discontinuities in orthotropic composites. This includes determining stress intensity factors. The technique involves evaluating the stress functions from measured therm oelastic data around the external boundary of a subregion containing the ge ometric discontinuity of interest. Knowing the stress functions, stresses t hroughout the subregion surrounding the geometric discontinuity, and stress intensity factors, are available.