Study on the Stress Concentration in GFRP Composite Plates with Multiple Cut-Outs Subjected to Shear Loading

Abstract

The composite materials are widely used nowadays as major parts of structures in many industries like aerospace, marine, automobile, space vehicles and also for the repair and replacement of civil infrastructures. Stresses are vital parameters considered in the design of structures. Any irregularities in shape, materials, or the presence of cut-outs create localized stress concentration and reduce the capacity of the material to take loads. The anisotropic behaviour of composite structures also makes the analysis more complex. Shear loading often exists in the engineering practices such as in aerospace due to heavy aerodynamic loads. So in the present study the effects of different parameters like layup sequences, number of plies, proximity of cut-outs, shapes and arrangements of cut-outs under in-plane shear loading on the glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) plate with multiple cut-outs are studied using ABAQUS. The results from the study show that all the parameters considered for the study affects the stress concentration considerably. The observations are analysed then and the final conclusions are presented.