Composite Materials Laminates Damage Phenomenon Layer Arrangement Structural Analysis Safety Coefficients

Due to the inadequacy of the analysis methods of composites, designers have had to take into account relatively high safety coefficients in designing composites. Consequently, most structures made of composites are produced with higher capacity than is needed. However, these materials can be used more effectively provided that behaviors, damage processes, and damage prevention methods are considered more meticulously. In this paper, damage phenomenon in laminates made of a layer of graphite-epoxy and glass-epoxy with different layer alignments under tension have been studied and compared using finite element analysis (FEA). Maximum stress, strain, displacement, and destruction number based on the Tsai-Wu criteria in the most critical layers in every layout in both materials have been obtained and compared together. It was found that when the arrangement of layers is cross-ply, damage in laminates is far lower than in quasi-orthotropic mode and the unsymmetrical mode (general laminate). Results also showed that graphite-epoxy over glass-epoxy is more resistant against tension. It can be finally concluded that, in order to produce laminates when the laminates are under tension, instead of using a high safety factor in designing—which leads to higher product prices and resulting economic failure of the product—economic competition with other competitors’ products can be obtained through correct material and arrangement selection of layers.

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