Wave theory of the laminated plates with approximate consideration of the transverse shear

Composite materials are widely used in the production of aircraft for various purposes. Having several unique properties, composites, due to their heterogeneous structure, are poorly resistant to shock loads. Impulse action spreads inside the material in the form of stress waves, which are reflected on internal inhomogeneities, can overlap, and create very significant bursts of stress. This often leads to the well-known types of failure – spalling and delamination. Practice shows that these fractures occur almost immediately after the loading impulse. To verify the spalling strength, it is necessary to consider the initial unsteady phase of the response to the external impulse. There are sufficiently reliable theories to verify this strength; usually, they do not take transverse shear into account, otherwise the solution becomes unnecessarily cumbersome and poorly observable. Nevertheless, attempts are often made to refine the calculations by approximate consideration of transverse shear. This article presents the wave theory of laminated plates with approximate consideration of transverse shear. The possibility of specifying the calculation of impulse-loaded plates is considered. The inconsistency of the resulting model is proved.

An Alternative Electro-Mechanical Finite Formulation for Functionally Graded Graphene-Reinforced Composite Beams with Macro-Fiber Composite Actuator

With its extraordinary physical properties, graphene is regarded as one of the most attractive reinforcements to enhance the mechanical characteristics of composite materials. However, the existing models in the literature might meet severe challenges in the interlaminar-stress prediction of thick, functionally graded, graphene-reinforced-composite (FG-GRC)-laminated beams that have been integrated with piezoelectric macro-fiber-composite (MFC) actuators under electro-mechanical loadings. If the transverse shear deformations cannot be accurately described, then the mechanical performance of the FG-GRC-laminated beams with MFC actuators will be significantly impacted by the electro-mechanical coupling effect and the sudden change of the material characteristics at the interfaces. Therefore, a new electro-mechanical coupled-beam model with only four independent displacement variables is proposed in this paper. Employing the Hu–Washizu (HW) variational principle, the precision of the transverse shear stresses in regard to the electro-mechanical coupling effect can be improved. Moreover, the second-order derivatives of the in-plane displacement parameters have been removed from the transverse-shear-stress components, which can greatly simplify the finite-element implementation. Thus, based on the proposed electro-mechanical coupled model, a simple C0-type finite-element formulation is developed for the interlaminar shear-stress analysis of thick FG-GRC-laminated beams with MFC actuators. The 3D elasticity solutions and the results obtained from other models are used to assess the performance of the proposed finite-element formulation. Additionally, comprehensive parametric studies are performed on the influences of the graphene volume fraction, distribution pattern, electro-mechanical loading, boundary conditions, lamination scheme and geometrical parameters of the beams on the deformations and stresses of the FG-GRC-laminated beams with MFC actuators.

Stress–Strain Behaviour of Reparable Composite Panel with Step-Variable Thickness

There is an urgent problem of finding an economically viable method of maintenance and restoration of the bearing capacity of structures of various applications. Repair of structures with patches made of polymeric composite materials is one of the most promising repair technologies. However, an improper choice of parameters of the composite patch leads to unjustified increase in the structure mass and the cost of its further operation. These situations result from the lack of reliable methods for developing the repair process, which take into account the influence of the patch geometry and conditions for performance of repair works on the bearing capacity of the repaired structure. The mathematical model of the reparable composite shell–type panel taking into account inhomogeneity of transverse shear deformations at stepped variation of its thickness has been developed. In contrast to the classical theory of layered shells, the model allows simplifying a three-dimensional problem by setting of the displacement field on the layers’ interfaces and their linear interpolation over thickness of the panel, as well as considering the transverse shear deformations resulting from the strength, temperature, or shrinkage loading. According to results, the maximum rise in stresses in the case of a notched panel occurs in the weakened layer, and it is from this layer the failure of the structure will start. In the event of the patch, the panel surface opposite the reinforcement is the most loaded (i.e., susceptible to failure) surface. To confirm the reliability of the developed model, we compared the analytical calculations with the results of experimental and numerical studies of the deformed state of a panel of step–variable thickness by the method of holographic interferometry and modelling by the finite element method. Displacement fields available from experiments correspond to the predicted theoretical results. The resulting maximum error does not exceed 7%. The data obtained during numerical modelling allowed us to conclude that the accuracy of theoretical calculations is sufficient for engineering practice. Results of the work can be used to solve the practical problems such as determination of stress–strain behaviour of a damaged structure or structure after repair, specification of the permissible delamination dimensions, and defining of parameters of the bonded repair process.

ELASTOPLASTIC PROBLEM FOR PERFORATED PLATE IN TRANSVERSE SHEAR

A solution is given to the problem of transverse shear of a thin plate clamped along the edges of the holes and weakened by a doubly periodic system of rectilinear through cracks with plastic end zones collinear to the abscissa and ordinate axes of unequal length. General representations of solutions are constructed that describe the class of problems with a doubly periodic stress distribution outside circular holes and rectilinear cracks with end zones of plastic deformations. Satisfying the boundary conditions, the solution of the problem of the theory of shear plates is reduced to two infinite systems of algebraic equations and two singular integral equations. Then each singular integral equation is reduced to a finite system of linear algebraic equations. Keywords: perforated thin plate, straight cracks with end zones, transverse bending, plastic deformation zones.

Non-polynomial zigzag theories with C° finite element formulation for buckling analysis of laminated composite and sandwich plates

In this present work, non-polynomial zigzag theories (algebraic zigzag theory (AZT), exponential zigzag theory (EZT), hyperbolic zigzag theory (HZT), inverse hyperbolic zigzag theory (IZT), logarithmic zigzag theory (LZT) and trigonometric zigzag theory (TZT)) are performed for buckling response of laminated composite and sandwich plates. The present models assume parabolic variation of out – plane stresses through the depth of the plate and also accomplish the zero transverse shear stresses over the surface of the plate. Thus a need of shear correction factor is obviated. The present zigzag models able to meet the transverse shear stress continuity and zigzag form of in-plane displacement continuity at the plate interfaces. An efficient eight noded C° continuous isoparametric serendipity element is established and employed to examine the buckling analysis. Like FSDT, the considered mathematical model possesses similar number of variables and which decides the present models computationally more effective. Several numerical examples are carried out to study the effects of span to thickness ratio, ply orientation, lay-up number, modular ratio, loading condition and boundary condition on the buckling response. To ensure the capability of the proposed models, higher modes of buckling are obtained for laminated plates and sandwich plates. Further, the efficiency and superiority of the proposed models is ascertained by comparing it with 3 D elasticity solution and also with various existing shear deformation theories in the literature. Most remarkably, the present models are accurately estimates the buckling load parameter and they are insensitive of shear-locking.

MICROMECHANICAL FINITE ELEMENT MODELING OF UNIDIRECTIONAL COMPOSITES IN THREE DIMENSIONS: PREDICTION OF TRANSVERSE TENSILE & COMPRESSIVE, TRANSVERSE SHEAR & IN-PLANE SHEAR PROGRESSIVE DAMAGE BEHAVIOR

Predicting the rate-dependent non-linear progressing damage behavior of unidirectional composites from the rate dependent properties of the constituents will enable computational materials-by-design and provide the fundamental understanding of the energy dissipating damage mechanisms. In this study, micromechanical finite element models of unidirectional glass-epoxy composites have been developed with fiber volume fractions, FVF = 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55, 0.60, 0.65, & 0.70; respectively with zero thickness fiber-matrix cohesive interfaces between the fibers and the surrounding matrix. Experimentally determined rate dependent non-linear stress-strain behavior of DER353 epoxy resin [1] (Tamrakar 2019) has been used to model the large deformation matrix behavior in conjunction with a rate dependent fiber-matrix interface traction law obtained from S-2 Glass/DER353 micro-droplet experiments & simulations [2] (Tamrakar 2019). Transverse tension, compression, in-plane shear, and transverse shear loads have been applied in predicting the progressive damage behavior of unidirectional S-2 Glass/DER353 epoxy composites.