A study of the in situ transverse tensile lamina strength and the classical solution of the opening mode crack in a 0/90/0 laminate

In this paper, the classical solution of the opening mode crack in the 90° layer of 0/90/0 laminates has been determined by means of Fourier transformations and the procedure of Copson for a pair of dual integral equations. The fracture behavior and the in situ transverse strength of the 90° layer have been quantitatively studied in graphite/epoxy laminates, based on the solution obtained above. The results show that the stress intensity factor of this kind of laminates, which is different from that of a single unidirectional 90° layer, decreases with the increase in thicknessb, or modulusE _L orG _LT of the 0° layer and also decreases with the decrease in the thickness of the 90° layer. So the lamination effect manifests itself and thein situ transverse strength of the 90° layer is thereby enchanced. The theoretical calculations agree with the experimental data presented by D.L. Flaggs. Supported by National Natural Science Fundation of China.