Lamination Theory for the Strength of Fiber Composite Materials

Abstract

Building upon the previous work for the failure of quasi-isotropic fiber composite laminates, the much more difficult and more important general case of orthotropic laminates is now taken up. The full and complete failure criterion is derived for fiber dominated, general 0, 90, ±45-deg laminated materials, with the relative volume fractions to be specified for each direction. Quasi-isotropy is a special case of the orthotropic formalism, and the general orthotropic results are just as rigorous as the previous specialized quasi-isotropic results. The orthotropic failure criterion results are of direct and immediate relevance in composite materials applications.