Finite Element Based Point Stress Criterion for Predicting the Notched Strengths of Composite Plates

• Published in: Journal of mechanics Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 401 - 406
• Main Authors: Tsai, K.-H., Hwan, C.-L., Lin, M.-J., Huang, Y. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2012; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Composite materials; Finite element analysis; Mechanical properties; Studies; Composite plate; Point stress criterion; Characteristic length; Finite element
• ISSN: 1727-7191; 1811-8216
• DOI: 10.1017/jmech.2012.48

In this study, a novel procedure has been developed for predicting the notched strengths of composite plates each with a center hole. In this approach, the stress distribution of a composite plate with a center hole is first obtained by a finite element analysis, in which the experimental notched strength is applied at the boundary of the finite element model. Secondly, the point stress criterion (PSC) is used to find the characteristic length for each plate with different size of hole by an interpolation of the finite element analysis results. The characteristic length is then expressed as an empirical function of the hole size as well as the width of the plate. Finally, the notched strengths of composite plates are predicted based on the empirical function and the finite element analysis results incorporated with the principle of superposition in elasticity. For validation, three different cases from the literatures are adopted for comparison. It is shown that the predicted notched strengths by this new methodology agree well with both the experimental results and the results from analytical solutions based PSC.