Interaction of lamb modes with delaminations in plates coated by highly absorbing materials

A theoretical study of Lamb mode propagation through an absorptive bilayer consisting of a steel plate coated by highly absorptive rubber with a finite delamination dividing these layers is presented. Essentially, in such a bilayer structure, steel-like A0 and S0 modes still propagate, although with moderate absorption. Two different types of delaminations are taken into consideration: slip delaminations in which noncontact boundary conditions are assumed only for shear displacement and stress, and stress-free delaminations in which noncontact boundary conditions are assumed for all mechanical displacements and stresses. The calculations, which are based on a modal decomposition method, show that delaminations in absorptive bilayers result in a considerable change of the normal displacement amplitude at the bilayer surfaces inside the delamination region, and for an incident mode steel-like A0 mode, also in the transmission region. Stress-free and slip delaminations can be distinguished exploiting their different effect on the steel-like A0 and S0 incident modes.     

Delamination modeling in doubly curved laminated shells for free vibration analysis using zigzag theory-based facet shell element and hybrid continuity method

We present a finite element (FE) formulation for the free vibration analysis of doubly curved laminated composite and sandwich shells having multiple delaminations, employing a facet shell element based on the efficient third-order zigzag theory and the region approach of modeling delaminations. The methodology, hitherto not attempted, is general for delaminations occurring at multiple interfacial and spatial locations. A recently developed hybrid method is used for satisfying the continuity of the nonlinear layerwise displacement field at the delamination fronts. The formulation is shown to yield very accurate results with reference to full-field three-dimensional FE solutions, for the natural frequencies and mode shapes of delaminated shallow and deep, composite and highly inhomogeneous soft-core sandwich shells of different geometries and boundary conditions, with a significant computational advantage. The accuracy is sensitive to the continuity method used at the delamination fronts, the usual point continuity method yielding rather poor accuracy, and the proposed hybrid method giving the best accuracy. Such efficient modeling of laminated shells with delamination damage will be of immense use for model-based techniques for structural health monitoring of laminated shell-type structures.     

Structural design of single lap joints with delaminated FRP composite adherends

This paper deals with the structural design of single lap joints (SLJs) with delaminated adherends using fracture mechanics principles. The interlaminar stresses and Strain Energy Release Rate (SERR) are considered as damage characterizing parameters used for designing the SLJ when delamination damages are pre-embedded in both the adherends at similar positions. Three dimensional geometrically non-linear finite element analyses (FEAs) of SLJ with delaminated adherends have been performed to determine the interlaminar and SERR values along the delamination fronts by simulating the simultaneous interaction delamination damages when pre-embedded at similar positions in both the adherends. SERR values are evaluated using Modified Crack Closure Technique (MCCI) which is based on energy principle. The delaminations are assumed to be of linear front, and have been considered to be embedded in both the laminated FRP composite adherends beneath the surface ply of the adhesively bonded SLJ. The delamination damages are presumed either to pre-exist or get evolved at the interlaminar locations. Such delaminations have been modelled using the sublaminate technique. The critical issues of modelling pre-embedded delamination damages are discussed in detail. The numerical results presented in this paper are based on the validated FE model compared with the available literature. Based on the present analyses, the structural design recommendations have been made for the SLJ when pre-embedded delamination damages are present in both the adherends. It is observed from the stress based design that the delamination damage when present in the bottom adherend is more detrimental for failure of SLJ compared to that for the case when it is present in the top adherend. Also, SERR based design reveals that the opening mode predominantly governs the propagation of delamination damage for all positions of the pre-embedded delaminations in both the adherends of the SLJ.     

A finite element formulation for the simulation of propagating delaminations in layered composite structures

This paper presents a finite element method to simulate growing delaminations in composite structures. The delamination process, using an inelastic material law with softening, takes place within an interface layer having a small, but non‐vanishing thickness. A stress criterion is used to detect the critical points. To prevent mesh‐dependent solutions a regularization technique is applied. The artificial viscosity leads to corresponding stiffness matrices which guarantee stable equilibrium iterations. The essential material parameter which describes the delamination process is the critical energy release rate. The finite element calculations document the robustness and effectivity of the developed model. Extensive parameter studies are performed to show the influence of the introduced geometrical and material quantities. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

自增强厚壁圆筒轴向内表面裂纹的应力强度因子

本文研究用有限元通用程序计算具有残余应力的自增强厚壁圆筒内半椭圆形表面裂纹的应力强度因子的方法。所考虑的应力强度因子被分为相应于工作内压及残余应力两部分，分别用三维有限元通用程序算得的裂纹前沿单元节点的垂直位移直接计算，对后者又运用了＂叠加原理＂。结果表明，残余应力的存在能有效地降低内裂纹的应力强度因子值，自增强度高者这一作用亦显著，残余应力引起的应力强度因子对裂织数目不敏感。     

Thermal fatigue failure induced by delamination in thermal barrier coating

The paper presents the experimental and theoretical investigation on the thermal fatigue failure induced by delamination in thermal barrier coating system. Laser heating method was used to simulate the operating state of TBC (thermal barrier coating) system. The non-destructive evaluation such as acoustic emission (AE) detect was used to study the evolution of TBC system damage. Micro-observation and AE detect both revealed that fatigue crack was in two forms: surface crack and interface delamination. It was found that interface delamination took place in the period of cooling or heating. Heating or cooling rate and temperature gradient had an important effect on interface delamination cracking propagation. A theoretical model on interface delamination cracking in TBC system at operating state is proposed. In the model, a membrane stress P and a bending moment M are designated the thermal loads of the thermal stress and temperature gradient in TBC system. In this case, the coupled effect of plastic deformation, creep of ceramic coating as well as thermal growth oxidation (TGO) and temperature gradient in TBC system was considered in the model. The thermal stress intensity factors (TSIFs) in non-FGM (functional gradient material) thermal barrier coating system is analytical obtained. The numerical results of TSIFs reveal some same results as obtained in experimental test. The model is based on fracture mechanics theory about heterogeneous materials and it gives a rigorous explanation of delaminations in TBC system loaded by thermal fatigue. Both theoretical analysis and experimental observation reveal an important fact: delaminations are fatigue cracks which grow during thermal shocks due to compressive stresses in the loading, this loads the delaminations cracks in mixed I and II mode.     

Fracture toughness of transverse cracks in graphite/epoxy laminates at cryogenic conditions

Stress singularity of a transverse crack normal to ply-interface in a composite laminate is investigated using analytical and finite element methods. Four-point bending tests were performed on single-notch bend specimens of graphite/epoxy laminates containing a transverse crack perpendicular to the ply-interface. The experimentally determined fracture loads were applied to the finite element model to estimate the fracture toughness. The procedures were repeated for specimens under cryogenic conditions. Although the fracture loads varied with specimen thickness, the critical stress intensity factor was constant for all the specimens indicating that the measured fracture toughness can be used to predict delamination initiation from transverse cracks. For a given crack length and laminate configuration, the fracture load at cryogenic temperature was significantly lower. The results indicate that fracture toughness does not change significantly at cryogenic temperatures, but the thermal stresses play a major role in fracture and initiation of delaminations from transverse cracks.     

Delamination damage analyses of adhesively bonded lap shear joints in laminated FRP composites

Three-dimensional non-linear finite ele- ment analyses have been carried out to evaluate the out-of-plane stresses in the adhesive layer existing between the lap and the strap adherends of the Lap Shear Joint (LSJ) in laminated FRP composites for varied delamination lengths. The delaminations are presumed to be pre-embedded in the thin resin rich layer existing between the first and second plies of the strap adherend. Sublaminate technique has been used to model the LSJ with the delamination. Contact finite element analyses have been performed in order to avoid interpenetration of delaminated surfaces. The effects of varied delamination lengths on the peel and interlaminar shear stresses and the individual modes of Energy Release Rate (ERR) in the delamination zones are highlighted in this paper. It is seen that three-dimensional effects exist near the free edges of the overlap end of the joint. The delamination propagation significantly affects the stress distributions in the adhesive layer existing between the lap and the strap adherends of the LSJ. The variations of interlaminar stresses and ERRs on both the delamination fronts are found to be significantly different and thus, indicate that the propagation of delamination does not occur at same rate at the two delamination fronts. This may throw some light to the evaluation of structural integrity of the LSJ in the presence of pre-embedded delaminations.     

复合材料层合板三维分层问题的断裂力学分析

对复合材料层板中椭圆分层的断裂力学问题进行了研究。根据层板平面剪切型分层和反平面剪切型分层尖端附近位移场、应力场与应力强度因子的关系,利用法向切片法,得到椭圆分层前缘应力强度因子与能量释放率的关系。结合由附加位移所确定的总位能,确定了能量释放率和应力强度因子沿分层前缘分布的表达形式。数值计算给出了二者随分层区形状、载荷以及各层厚度比等参数变化的分布情况。     

Matrix crack-induced delamination in composite laminates under transverse loading

Fibre-reinforced multidirectional composite laminates are observed in experiments under transverse static or low-velocity impact loading to suffer considerable delamination damage. The intensity of this damage depends on the difference in the ply angles above and below the interface. In this paper a fracture mechanics model is presented for investigating the role of matrix cracks in triggering delaminations and the influence of ply angles in adjacent plies on delamination cracking. The fracture mechanics analysis shows that for a graphite fibre-reinforced composite laminate containing a transverse intraply crack, the crack-induced largest interfacial principal tensile stress is a maximum when the difference between the ply angles across the interface is 90 °, and it attains a minimum when the difference is 40 °. When the crack tips touch the interfaces, the minimum mode II stress singularity, which is weaker than the usual square-root type, appears when the difference between the ply angles is about 45 ° for one glass fibre-reinforced laminate and three graphite fibre-reinforced laminates. These results are in agreement with the experimental observation that the largest delaminations appear at the interface across which the difference between the ply angles is the largest i.e. 90 °.     

Vibrations of multiple delaminated beams

The free vibrations of beams with two enveloping delaminations have been solved analytically without resorting to numerical approximation. The multiple delaminated beam is analyzed as several interconnected Euler–Bernoulli beams. The differential stretching and the bending–extension coupling are considered in the formulation. The influence of the sizes and locations of the delaminations on the primary and secondary frequencies and mode shapes of a beam are investigated. For clamped–clamped beams, the primary frequency shows a high sensitivity for the long delamination but a low sensitivity for the second short delamination, while for the secondary frequency, the sensitivity is high for both delaminations. For cantilever beams, the primary and secondary frequencies show a high sensitivity for the long delamination but low sensitivity for the second short delamination. Results are compared with the analytical and experimental data reported in the literature to verify the validity of the present model.     

复合材料层合曲梁分层问题的解析解法

根据叠加原理将含有分层的复合材料层合曲梁在横向载荷作用下的受力状态分解为在面受力状态与出面受力状态,再将出面受力状态分解为无分层曲梁受横向载荷状态与含分层曲梁承受附加剪切载荷状态。将分层问题归结为在附加剪切载荷状态中,层合梁附加位移与附加应力的分析,并据此建立了一个简单的力学模型。最后得到了由分层引起的附加位移与应力的解析解答,并用能量释放率方法确定了应力强度因子。     

Delamination analysis of composites by new orthotropic bimaterial extended finite element method

The extended finite element method (XFEM) is further improved for fracture analysis of composite laminates containing interlaminar delaminations. New set of bimaterial orthotropic enrichment functions are developed and utilized in XFEM analysis of linear‐elastic fracture mechanics of layered composites. Interlaminar crack‐tip enrichment functions are derived from analytical asymptotic displacement fields around a traction‐free interfacial crack. Also, heaviside and weak discontinuity enrichment functions are utilized in modeling discontinuous fields across interface cracks and bimaterial weak discontinuities, respectively. In this procedure, elements containing a crack‐tip or strong/weak discontinuities are not required to conform to those geometries. In addition, the same mesh can be used to analyze different interlaminar cracks or delamination propagation. The domain interaction integral approach is also adopted in order to numerically evaluate the mixed‐mode stress intensity factors. A number of benchmark tests are simulated to assess the performance of the proposed approach and the results are compared with available reference results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analytical Solution of Buckling of Beams with Two Delaminations

A stability problem of composite beams with multiple delamination was tackled. A closed-form solution was found and buckling loads of composite beams with two delaminations were determined in order to obtain their compressive load-carrying capacity. Crack-opening mode was assumed for each detached delaminated region. Seven different regions having different transverse deformations resulted from assumed positions of delaminations. Developing the derived continuity condition equations reduced the number of algebraic equations required to solve the problem analytically. The results of the work were validated by comparing them to those reported in the literature. The effects of length, location, and distribution of multiple delaminations were considered in the comparison, and the results showed very good agreement. Buckling load decreases as delamination size increases. Buckling load for a beam with two delaminations is lower than that for the same beam with a single delamination.     

Modelling delaminations in postbuckling stiffened composite shear panels

 A method has been developed to predict the effect of delaminations in a postbuckling stiffened structure manufactured from laminated composite materials. The emphasis of the technique, driven by aircraft certification requirements, was towards establishing whether delamination growth would initiate under given loading conditions. A geometric nonlinear finite element analysis was used to calculate the strain energy release rate around the circumference of a circular delamination using the virtual crack closure technique. In order to deal with the complex structural response in a computationally efficient manner, the structure was modelled using plate elements with two layers of plate elements used in the delaminated region. The effect of delamination size on the strength of postbuckling panels was shown to be a complex phenomenon in which trends were difficult to predict. Large delaminations could significantly affect the global and sub-laminate buckling modes and therefore be less critical than smaller delaminations. It was concluded that the method could accurately predict the load and location at which delamination growth would initiate, given suitable critical strain energy release rate data. Received 16 February 2000     

Bestimmung bruchmechanischer Kenngrößen für Probekörper mit elastischen,anisotropen Materialeigenschaften mittels Finite-Elemente Methode

Computation of Fracture-Mechanical Parameters for Specimens with Elastic Anisotropic Properties by Finite-Element Technique A method for direct calculation of the different mode m stress intensity factors K_m from the crack tip stress- or deformation fields of a finite element model is proposed that is suitable especially for linear elastic, anisotropic materials. The practical aim of the investigation was to get a procedure to split experimental results for mixed mode energy release rate, G_sum, into the the parts G_m of the pure modes m. This problem will raise for instance in the experimental characterization of delamination behaviour of fibrereinforced polymer composites with complicated sample geometries. The method is tested and the accuracy of the results is compared with well established solutions for the „double-cantilever-bea”︁ (DCB-) specimen.     

A Study on Skin Delaminations Growth in Stiffened Composite Panels by a Novel Numerical Approach

In this paper, a study on skin delamination growth in stiffened composite panels made of carbon fibres reinforced polymers and subjected to compressive load is presented. A robust (mesh and time step independent) numerical finite elements procedure, based on the Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) and on the fail release approach, is used here to investigate the influence of skin delamination size and position on the damage tolerance of stiffened composite panels. Four stiffened panels configurations with skin delaminations differently sized and positioned are introduced. Bay delaminations and delaminations under the stringer foot are considered. The novel numerical procedure has been used to simulate the delamination growth for all the investigated panel configurations and to evaluate the influence of the delaminations’ geometrical parameters on the growth development. As a confirmation of the applicability and effectiveness of the adopted numerical tool, the numerical results, obtained for all the analysed configurations, in terms of grown delaminated area, displacements and strains measured in various panel locations, have been compared with experimental data available in literature.     

Monitoring mode II fracture behaviour of composite laminates using embedded fiber-optic sensors

Utilization of embedded Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors for monitoring mode II fracture behaviour of composite laminate beams containing different delaminations along the thickness-wise direction, by virtue of End-Notch Flexure (ENF) tests, is presented. Non-uniform strain distribution due to the stress concentration at the delamination tip was examined by the way of observing the reflection spectrum from the FBG sensor. The stress concentration in ENF specimens, which are subjected to various applied loads, was analyzed in terms of the shift, shape, bandwidth and intensity of the reflection spectrum. Relationships between the load–displacement graphs and the corresponding reflection spectra under ENF tests were established. In addition, the feasibility and reliability of using the embedded FBG sensors for mode II fracture behaviour monitoring in the composite laminates is discussed.