A study of the interlaminar stress-continuity theories for composite laminates
Two stress-continuity theories are presented. The first, named interlaminar stress continuity theory (ISCT), accounts for the variation of transverse displacement through the laminate thickness. The continuity of interlaminar shear stresses and normal stress across the laminate interfaces and traction conditions on laminate surfaces are satisfied exactly. The second, interlaminar shear-stress continuity (ISSCT), simplifies ISCT by assuming constant transverse displacement through the thickness. Thus, only the continuity of interlaminar shear stresses and shear-traction conditions on laminate surfaces are enforced. The merit of these stress-continuity theories is the direct calculation of interlaminar stresses from constitutive equations instead of equilibrium equations. The numerical examples for composite laminates with aspect ratio higher than five in cylindrical bending and bidirectional bending using both theories show excellent accuracy compared with elasticity solutions. ISCT provides significant improvement over ISSCT for composite analysis only when the aspect ratio is lower than five.
- Research Organization:
- Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 7201580
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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