The effect of crack faces contact interaction on the critical strain in composites under compressive loading

Aviation and aerospace structural components made of composite laminates due to their internal structure and manufacturing methods often contain a number of inter- and intra-component defects which size, dispersion and interaction alter significantly the critical compression strain level [1]. The current study investigates the effect of the cracks interaction and crack faces contact interaction on the critical strain in laminar transversally isotropic material (cross-ply) compressed in a static manner along interlaminar defects. The frictionless Hertzian contact and the shear and extensional mode of stability loss are considered for the interacting crack faces. The statement of the problem is based on the most accurate approach, the model of piecewise-homogenous medium and the 3-D stability theory [2]. The moment of stability loss in the microstructure of material is treated as the onset of the fracture process. The complex non-classical fracture mechanics problem is solved utilizing the finite elements analysis. The results are obtained for the typical dispositions of cracks. It was found that the crack faces contact interaction alter significantly the critical strain level of the composite. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)