Journal Published Online: 01 October 1994
Volume 16, Issue 4

Effect of Through Thickness Tensile and Compressive Stresses on Delamination Propagation Fracture Energy

CODEN: JCTRER

Abstract

Strain energy release rate criteria are often used for predicting delamination. However, the fracture energy for delamination propagation is not a material constant, but varies depending on the through thickness normal stress. For tensile normal stresses this problem is usually overcome by using a mixed mode fracture criterion. However, the mixed mode approach fails to take into account compressive through thickness normal stresses. These can greatly increase the delamination stress and therefore cannot be simply ignored. A new approach is proposed in which it is assumed that the fracture energy for delamination propagation is a linear function of the average through thickness normal stress. Comparison with experimental results for unidirectional specimens with discontinuous plies shows excellent correlation, and accounts for a number of experimental observations that cannot be explained using the standard fracture mechanics approach.

Author Information

Cui, W
China Ship Scientific Research Centre, Wuxi, Jiangsu, The People's Republic of China
Wisnom, MR
University of Bristol, Bristol, England
Jones, MI
University of Bristol, Bristol, England
Pages: 7
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Stock #: CTR10593J
ISSN: 0884-6804
DOI: 10.1520/CTR10593J