Department of Mechanical Engineering, V. R. Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada-520007, India
The objective of the present work is to determine the required width of the finite element model to represent an infinitely wide laminate for given load, crack length and boundary conditions for estimating its fracture behaviour. This exercise is useful for the prediction of fracture behaviour of angle-ply laminates having infinite width by developing finite element models of finite width as obtained from the present work without loss of generality. The three-dimensional model considered in the present work is a four-layered angle-ply FRP laminates of symmetric (Θ/-Θ/-Θ/Θ) and anti-symmetric (Θ/-Θ/Θ/-Θ) fibre orientations with an edge crack at its centre interface. The parameter “Strain Energy Release Rate” (SERR) is determined using Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) in association with finite element method.
Composites, FRP, Angle-ply, Strain energy release rate, VCCT, Delamination
