CRACK GROWTH SIMULATION IN LAMINATED COMPOSITE USING FEM

Abstract

Composite materials are having high strength to weight and stiffness to weight ratio compare to metals, which makes it resistant to failure under normal loading condition. However they are susceptible to failure by delamination which causes redistribution of stress to lower the compressive strength and load bearing capacity. Delamination is separation in layers of laminar material as a result of repeated stress or failure of adhesive. Composite materials are more susceptible to delamination because of their laminate structure. A mechanical property of laminated composite largely influence by on manufacturing defect, void size and shape , crack , fibre bridge etc. In fatigue mechanism of laminated composite first analysis of mechanical properties will be done without the presence of defect then the analysis will be performed in presence of defect like presence of micro crack, shape and size of void. Shape and size of voids will be studied as the effective void size is responsible for catastrophic failure of composite. If void size is greater than critical value then fracture mechanics theory will be applied. Finite element method is especially versatile and efficient for the analysis of failure mechanism of laminated composite. The modelling and finite element analysis (FEA) of the laminated composite was performed using different type of loading condition ,models, various fracture modes and the results obtained from FEA has been plotted.