An analytic model for thermoelastic properties of composite laminates containing transverse matrix cracks (Q1328733)

Transverse matrix cracking of fiber composites causes stress redistribution and stiffness degradation in a composite laminate. The resulting damage may eventually lead to fiber fracture, delamination, and failure of the laminate. Accurate closed form asymptotic estimates of the effective stiffness of composites with matrix cracks have been obtained for dilute and infinite matrix crack densities. The present paper is concerned with obtaining similar estimates for intermediate crack density in laminates with arbitrary ply configuration. The analysis is based on the well-known analytical solution for a row of equidistant cracks in an infinite, homogeneous, isotropic medium. This solution provides the relation between the crack opening displacement and the uniform traction on crack surfaces. It is assumed that there is negligible dependence of this relation upon the orientation of the neighboring plies in the laminate. The ply average stresses and the ``effective'' and ``average'' strains in the ply (which differ due to the contribution from the crack opening displacements) are computed. The resulting effective engineering elastic constants and thermal expansion coefficients are compared with the results of ABAQUS finite element analysis and found to be generally in close agreement. The advantages of the present method of analysis include: closed-form analytical expression, computational efficiency, and applicability to laminates of arbitrary ply configuration (i.e., not limited to cross-ply laminates), and to arbitrary density of matrix cracks.