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At least 1,351 records · Page 75

A comparison of experimental observations and numerical predictions for the initiation of fiber microbuckling in notched composite laminates

The results of the present experimental study of fiber microbuckling indicates that free surfaces, ply orientations, and resin-rich regions affect the strain level for the initiation of in-plane fiber microbuckling. Nonlinear matrix constitutive behavior, in conjunction with initial fiber waviness, cause significant reductions of fiber microbuckling initiation strain level; these two factors generate nonlinear global stress-strain responses in the models. The fiber microbuckling initiation strains correlate well with the applied strain associated with asymptotic local shear strains.

Guynn, E. G.↗

Relevance of impacter shape to nonvisible damage and residual tensile strength of a thick graphite/epoxy laminate

A study was made to determine the relevance of impacter shape to nonvisible damage and tensile residual strength of a 36 mm thick graphite/epoxy motor case. The shapes of the impacters were as follows: 12.7 mm and 25.4 mm diameter hemispheres, a sharp corner, and a 6.3 mm diameter bolt-like rod. The investigation revealed that damage initiated when the contact pressure exceeded a critical level. However, the damage was not visible on the surface until an even higher pressure was exceeded. The impact energy to initiate damage or cause visible damage on the surface increased approximately with impacter diameter to the third power. The reduction in strength for nonvisible damage increased with increasing diameter, 9 and 30 percent for the 12.7 mm and 25.4 mm diameter hemispheres, respectively. The corner impacter made visible damage on the surface for even the smallest impact energy. The rod impacter acted like a punch and sliced through the composite. Even so, the critical level of pressure to initiate damage was the same for the rod and hemispherical impacters. Factors of safety for nonvisible damage increased with increasing kinetic energy of impact. The effects of impacter shape on impact force, damage size, damage visibility, and residual tensile strength were predicted quite well assuming Hertzian contact and using maximum stress criteria and a surface crack analysis.

Poe, Clarence C., Jr.↗

A study of the damage tolerance enhancement of carbon/epoxy laminates by utilizing an outer lamina of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene

The damage tolerance of carbon/epoxy was examined when an outer layer of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (Spectra) material was utilized on the specimen. Four types of 16 ply quasi-isotropic panels, (0,+45,90,-45)s2 were tested. The first contained no Spectra, while the others had one lamina of Spectra placed on either the top (impacted side), bottom or both surfaces of the composite plate. A range of impact energies up to approximately 8.5 Joules (6.3 ft-lbs) was used to inflict damage upon these specimens. Glass/Phenolic honeycomb beams with a core density of 314 N/m3 (2.0 lb/ft3) and 8 ply quasi-isotropic facesheets were also tested for compression-after-impact strength with and without Spectra at impact energies of 1,2,3 and 4 Joules (.74, 1.47, 2.21 and 2.95 ft-lbs). It was observed that the composite plates had little change in damage tolerance due to the Spectra, while the honeycomb panels demonstrated a slight increase in damage tolerance when Spectra was added, the damage tolerance level being more improved at higher impact energies.

Nettles, Alan T.↗

A parametric study of variables that affect fiber microbuckling initiation in composite laminates. I - Analyses. II - Experiments

The effects of the stacking sequence (orientation of plies adjacent to the 0-deg plies), free surfaces, fiber/matrix interfacial bond strength, initial fiber waviness, resin-rich regions, and nonlinear shear constitutive behavior of the resin on the initiation of fiber microbuckling in thermoplastic composites were investigated using nonlinear geometric and nonlinear 2D finite-element analyses. Results show that reductions in the resin shear tangent modulus, large amplitudes of the initial fiber waviness, and debonds each cause increases in the localized matrix shear strains; these increases lead in turn to premature initiation of fiber microbuckling. The numerical results are compared to experimental data obtained using three thermoplastic composite material systems: (1) commercial APC-2, (2) QUADRAX Unidirectional Interlaced Tape, and AU4U/PEEK.

Guynn, E. G.↗

Screening For Microcracking By Testing Unbalanced Laminates

Expensive, time-consuming thermal-cycling tests might be obviated. Experimental study demonstrates feasibility of relatively fast thermomechanical testing procedure for screening and ranking of matrix/fiber composite materials with respect to resistance to microcracking. Procedure intended to replace comprehensive thermal-cycling tests.

Bowles, Kenneth J.↗

Characterizing Mode-I Fatigue Delamination Of Laminates

Alternative method proposed for characterizing mode-I fatigue delamination by use of double-cantilever-beam (DCB). In new method, one monitors number of cycles, N, to onset of delamination from end of thin insert. Fiber bridging avoided. Results presented easily in form of G-vs.-N plot.

Martin, Roderick H.↗

Geometrically nonlinear analysis of laminated elastic structures

This final technical report contains three parts: Part 1 deals with the 2-D shell theory and its element formulation and applications. Part 2 deals with the 3-D degenerated element. These two parts constitute the two major tasks that were completed under the grant. Another related topic that was initiated during the present investigation is the development of a nonlinear material model. This topic is briefly discussed in Part 3. To make each part self-contained, conclusions and references are included in each part. In the interest of brevity, the discussions presented are relatively brief. The details and additional topics are described in the references cited.

Reddy, J. N.↗

Thermal and ultrasonic evaluation of porosity in composite laminates

The effects of porosity on damage incurred by low-velocity impact are investigated. Specimens of graphite/epoxy composite were fabricated with various volume fractions of voids. The void fraction was independently determined using optical examination and acid resin digestion methods. Thermal diffusivity and ultrasonic attenuation were measured, and these results were related to the void volume fraction. The relationship between diffusivity and fiber volume fraction was also considered. The slope of the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient was found to increase linearly with void content, and the diffusivity decreased linearly with void volume fraction, after compensation for an approximately linear dependence on the fiber volume fraction.

Johnston, Patrick H.↗

The effects of uneven fiber spacing on thermal residual stresses in a unidirectional SCS-6/Ti-15-3 laminate

High residual stresses develop in SCS-6/Ti-15-3 composites during cooldown from the fabrication temperature; these residual stresses can effect the mechanical and physical properties of the composite. Discrete fiber-matrix finite element models were used to study the residual stresses due to the temperature change during the fabrication process, including the effects of uneven fiber spacing, the free surface, and increased fiber volume fractions. To accurately model the effects of the free surface, it is only necessary to model one fiber through the thickness. Below the first ply, the analysis predicts stress distributions that are identical to the infinite array predictions. For uneven fiber space less than 0.042 mm in an interior ply, the maximum hoop stress was predicted to occur between fibers within a ply and to increase as the fiber spacing decreased. The maximum hoop stress correlated well with the observed radial cracking between fibers. For the case of touching fibers, the analysis predicted tensile radial stresses at the fiber-matrix debonding during the fabrication cooldown. Identical trends were predicted for uneven fiber spacing in surface plies with slightly greater values of maximum stresses. The analysis predicted matrix yielding to occur upon cooldown when the edge-to-edge fiber spacing was less than or equal to 0.022 mm. The stress distributions preidcted for increasing fiber volume fractions were similar to those predicted for decreasing the fiber spacing for two adjacent fibers within a ply.

Bigelow, Catherine A.↗

Microfracture in high temperature metal matrix crossply laminates

Microfracture (fiber/matrix fracture, interphase debonding and inter-ply delamination) in high temperature metal matrix composites (HTMMC), subjected to both mechanical and thermal loading, is computationally simulated. A crossply 0.3 fiber volume ratio SiC/Ti15 composite with 0/90/0 layup is evaluated for microfracture using a multicell finite element model. A computational simulation procedure based on strain energy release rates is used to predict the fracture process and establish the hierarchy of fracture modes. Microfracture results for various loading cases are presented and discussed.

Mital, Subodh K.↗

Analysis of the anisotropic viscoplastic-damage response of composite laminates - Continuum basis and computational algorithms

The mathematical structure underlying the rate equations of a recently-developed constitutive model for the coupled viscoplastic-damage response of anisotropic composites is critically examined. In this regard, a number of tensor projection operators have been identified, and their properties were exploited to enable the development of a general computational framework for their numerical implementation using the Euler fully-implicit integration method. In particular, this facilitated (i) the derivation of explicit expressions of the (consistent) material tangent stiffnesses that are valid for both three-dimensional as well as subspace (e.g. plane stress) formulations, (ii) the implications of the symmetry or unsymmetry properties of these tangent operators from a thermodynamic standpoint, and (iii) the development of an effective time-step control strategy to ensure accuracy and convergence of the solution. In addition, the special limiting case of inviscid elastoplasticity is treated. The results of several numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the schemes developed.

Saleeb, A. F.↗