Abstract
A work potential based analysis was used to model damage related material nonlinearities in graphite-epoxy laminates. Two work potentials were incorporated. One potential was related to sub-ply damage, such as shear banding and micro-fissuring, and the other was associated with transverse cracking. New procedures were developed for identifying relationships between work potentials and material properties E2 and G12. The model was successfully validated against empirical results from graphite-epoxy laminates. The characterization shown to be an improvement over the procedure used by Hahn and Tsai. The work potential associated with sub-ply damage was found to grow at a much reduced rate or become constant when transverse cracking initiated and the second work potential began to increase. Although lamina transverse stiffness degraded rapidly with the onset of transverse cracking, there was very little effect on shear modulus.
Sicking, Dean Leo (1992). Mechanical characterization of nonlinear laminated composites with traverse crack growth. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -1387071.