Variable-stiffness composite panels: Buckling and first-ply failure improvements over straight-fibre laminates

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2008

Authors

Lopes, CS (Author) Other; Gurdal, Z (Author) Other; Camanho, PP (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Computers and Structures

Vol. 86

Pages: 897-907

ISSN: 0045-7949

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 150 Citations

Scopus - 216 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-ZKH

DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruc.2007.04.016

Abstract (EN): One of the primary advantages of using fibre-reinforced laminated composites in structural design is the ability to change the stiffness and strength properties of the laminate by designing the laminate stacking sequence in order to improve its performance. This procedure is typically referred to as laminate tailoring. Traditionally, tailoring is done by keeping the fibre orientation angle within each layer constant throughout a structural component. Allowing the fibres to follow curvilinear paths within the plane of the laminates constitutes all advanced tailoring option that can lead to modification of load paths within the laminate to result in more favourable stress distributions and improve the laminate performance. Based on numerical simulations, the present work demonstrates the advantages of variable-stiffness over straight-fibre laminates in terms of compressive buckling and first-ply failure. A physically based set of failure criteria, able to predict the various modes of failure of a composite laminated structure, is implemented in finite element models of straight and variable-stiffness panels under compression. Non-linear analyses are carried out to simulate first-ply failure in the postbuckling regime.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11