Energy Release Rate Determination for Edge Delamination under Combined In-Plane, Bending and Hygrothermal Loading. Part I-Delamination at a Single Interface

Abstract

Edge delamination in composite laminates subjected to combined in-plane, bending and hygrothermal loading is analyzed using a crack tip element approach. Classical laminated plate theory is utilized for the crack tip element formulation. Individual energy release rate components are found using a set of closed form equations derived from plate theory, plus the results from a single continuum analysis. For those cases where a linear elastic solution predicts a near-field oscillatory singularity, a new approach is used which allows a unique, physically meaningful value of fracture mode ratio to be defined.