Analysis of the free-edge effect in composite laminates by the boundary finite element method

Because of the risk of delamination due to high interlaminar stresses ill t he vicinity of free edges of composite laminates, there is a strong interes t in;efficient methods for the analysis of this free-edge effect. By the ex ample of a symmetric [0 degrees/90 degrees](s) cross-ply laminate, the Boun dary Finite Element Method is presented as a very efficient numerical metho d, which combines the advantages of the finite element method and the bound ary element method. Analogously to the boundary element method, only the bo undary is discretized while the element formulation is finite element based . The resultant stress field is shown to be ill very. good agreement qualit atively and quantitatively with the comparative finite element analysis.