Elastic-damage deformation response of fiber-reinforced polymer composite laminates with lamina interfaces

What is it about?

The conventional and prepreg finite element (FE) models are developed and examined for adequacy in predicting the elastic-damage response of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite laminates. A new experimental-computational approach featuring a two-tier mesh convergence analysis of the FE models is developed. A 12-ply carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite laminate beam specimen with anti-symmetric layups is designed and loaded to induce matrix damage under significant deflection without catastrophic fracture. A constitutive model incorporating Hashin’s equations for damage initiation criteria, along with an energy-based damage propagation law is employed in the FE simulation. Results shows that the prepreg FE model predicts well the load-deflection curve of the CFRP composite laminate while the conventional model overestimates the elastic flexural stiffness of the specimen by 47 pct. During the flexural deformation, matrix damage initiates in the central and edge regions of the critical laminas under compressive and tensile stresses, respectively. The prepreg FE model also predicted the matrix-induced interface delamination along the edges of the critical laminas under tension, as observed experimentally. The model demonstrates the adequacy in representing the role of lamina interface in dictating the elastic-damage response of CFRP composite laminates manufactured by prepreg layups method.

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