EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON INITIATION OF DELAMINATION IN CROSS PLY LAMINATES FROM A TRANSVERSE CRACK

Transverse crack propagating towards a cross-ply interface is investigated in this study. The non-uniform fiber distribution near ply interface is modelled explicitly in order to study the effect of microstructure on crack path and initiation of delamination. The growth of fiber/matrix interfacial debond and debond kinking out of interface are analyzed based on a combination of energy and stress-based approach, which is convenient in predicting matrix crack path. Kinking of transverse crack tip when it approaches ply interface is investigated using an energy-based approach. It is found that predicted matrix crack path and crack tip kinking behavior near interface is strongly influenced by the local microstructure. The obtained results indicate that an induced symmetrical delamination, i.e., interface cracks of equal length on either side of the transverse ply crack, as often assumed in modeling studies, is not always a favorable damage mode.

Analysis of the bi-material interface cracks based on configurational forces

In this paper, an innovative interface fracture criterion is proposed based on the concept of configurational forces in material space. In this criterion, the crack tip configurational forces as driving force is introduced to describe the interface crack evolution under mixed mode loading conditions. And it assumes that the interface crack propagates due to the competition of resultant of configurational forces with interface fracture toughness. The analytical expression of the configurational forces are obtained by differentiating the elastic strain energy density and conservative integral for interface cracks. And the relation of interface crack tip configurational forces with classical complex intensity factors are obtained through strict mathematical deduction. The interface crack tip configurational forces are evaluated for a classic interface crack problem covering a wide range of bi-material oscillation index. The configurational forces based interface fracture criterion is validated through series interface fracture experiments. The proposed criterion may provide a novel framework for analysis of interface fracture under complex loading conditions.