Abstract
Interfacial defects, in the form of cracks or layer separation, may occur in composite cylindrical shells during the manufacturing process, transportation or service life. Such defects are expected to affect the integrity of laminated composite structural elements and may reduce their capacity to resist the applied loads. In this article, the growth of pre-existing cracks in moderately thick composite cylinders is studied for the case of externally applied fluid pressure. The cracks considered separate thick layers, which are unlikely to buckle locally prior to the final collapse of the structural component. The potential of growth is assessed by computing the energy release rate. It is found that any initial out-of roundness imperfection introduces a shear force at the crack tip by causing the cross section to ovalize slightly. The energy release rate is found to vary exponentially with the applied pressure, when geometric nonlinearities are considered. The analysis is applied to a carbon/glass-fiber hybrid composite tube and the parameters influencing growth are examined. Crack length, through the thickness location, circumferential location relative to the ovalization orientation and the amount of imperfection are found to control the nature of growth. Unstable as well as stable crack growth and arrest cases are observed for various combinations of these parameters.
Thermo-Mechanical Instability Characteristics of Laminated Composite Cylindrical Shells
