Damage Tolerance of Laminated Composites Containing an Open Hole and Subjected to Compressive Loadings: Part I—Analysis

Abstract

An analytical investigation was performed to study the damage in laminated composites containing an open hole and subjected to compressive loading. A progressive damage model was developed during the investigation to predict the extent and the failure modes of the internal damage in the laminates as a function of the applied load and to simulate the in-plane response of the laminates from initial loading to final collapse. The model consists of a stress analysis and a failure analysis. Stresses and strains inside the laminates were calculated by a nonlinear finite element analysis which is based on finite deformation theory with consideration of material and geometric nonlinearities. The types and extent of damage in the material were predicted by a failure analysis which includes a set of proposed failure criteria and material degradation models. Numerical results from the model were compared with the data which were obtained during the investigation and are presented in a companion paper [1]. Good agreements were found between the predictions and the test results. A computer code was developed based on the model which can be used as a tool for sizing and designing composite plates containing holes and subjected to compression.