• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.329-341
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• 2018

This paper considers the smooth receding contact problem between a homogeneous half-plane and a composite laminate composed of an inhomogeneously coated elastic layer. The inhomogeneity of the elastic modulus of the coating is approximated by an exponential function along the thickness dimension. The three-component structure is pressed together by either a concentrated force or uniform pressures applied at the top surface of the composite laminate. Both semianalytical and finite element analysis are performed to solve for the extent of contact and the contact pressure. In the semianalytical formulation, Fourier integral transformation of governing equations and boundary conditions leads to a singular integral equation of Cauchy-type, which can be numerically integrated by Gauss-Chebyshev quadrature to a desired degree of accuracy. In the finite element modeling, the functionally graded coating is divided into homogeneous sublayers and the shear modulus of each sublayer is assigned at its lower boundary following the predefined exponential variation. In postprocessing, the stresses of any node belonging to sublayer interfaces are averaged over its surrounding elements. The results obtained from the semianalytical analysis are successfully validated against literature results and those of the finite element modeling. Extensive parametric studies suggest the practicability of optimizing the receding contact peak stress and the extent of contact in multilayered structures by the introduction of functionally graded coatings.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.169-186
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• 2011

This paper is devoted to the development of the equations which describe the elastic response of a curved laminate subjected to in-plane loads and bending moments. Similar to the classic $6{\times}6$ ABD matrix constitutive relation of a flat laminate, a new $6{\times}6$ matrix constitutive relation between force resultants, moment resultants, mid-plane strains and deformed curvatures for a curved laminate is formulated. This curved lamination theory will provide the fundamental basis for the analyses of curved laminated structures. The stress predictions by the present curved lamination theory are compared to those by the curved laminate analysis that neglected the nonlinear terms in the derivation of the constitutive relation. The results show that the curved laminate analysis that neglected the nonlinear terms cannot reflect the effect of curvature and can no longer predict the stresses accurately as the curvature becomes noticeable. In this paper, a curved lamination theory that retains the nonlinear terms and, therefore, accounts for the effect of the non-flat geometry of the structure will be developed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.213-229
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• 2003

A high precision shear deformable triangular element has been proposed for free vibration analysis of composite trapezoidal plates. The element has twelve nodes at the three sides and four nodes inside the element. Initially the element has fifty-five degrees of freedom, which has been reduced to forty-eight by eliminating the degrees of freedom of the internal nodes through static condensation. Plates having different side ratios (b/a), boundary conditions, thickness ratios (h/a=0.01, 0.1 and 0.2), number of layers and fibre angle orientations have been analyzed by the proposed shear locking free element. Trapezoidal laminate with concentrated mass at the centre has also been analyzed. An efficient mass lumping scheme has been recommended, where the effect of rotary inertia has been included. For validation of the present element and formulation few results of isotropic trapezoidal plate and square composite laminate have been compared with those obtained from open literatures. The numerical results for composite trapezoidal laminate have been given as new results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.41-56
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• 2013

Initiation and growth of delamination is a great concern of designers of composite structures. Interface elements with de-cohesive constitutive law in the content of continuum damage mechanics can be used to predict initiation and growth of delamination in single and mixed mode conditions. In this paper, an interface element based on the cohesive zone method has been developed to simulate delaminatoin growth of post-buckled laminate under fatigue loading. The model was programmed as the user element and user material by the "User Programmable Features" in ANSYS finite element software. The interface element is a three-dimensional 20 node brick with small thickness. Because of mixed-mode condition of stress field at the delamination-front of post-buckled laminates, a mixed-mode bilinear constitutive law has been used as user material in this model. The constitutive law of interface element has been verified by modelling of a single element. A composite laminate with initial delamination under quasi-static compressive Loading available from literature has been remodeled with the present approach. Moreover, it will be shown that, the closer the delamination to the free surface of laminate, the slower the delamination growth under compressive fatigue loading. The effects of laminate configuration on delamination growth are also investigated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.73 no.6
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• pp.631-640
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• 2020

Using backup plate is one of the most commonly used methods to decrease drilling-induced delamination of composite laminates. It has been shown that, the size of the delamination zone is related to the vertical element of cutting force named as thrust force. Also, direct control of thrust force is not a routine task, because, it depends on both drilling parameters and mechanical properties of the composite laminate. In this research, critical feed rate and thrust force are predicted analytically for delamination initiation in drilling of composite laminates with backup plate. Three common theories, linear elastic fracture mechanics, classical laminated plate and mechanics of oblique cutting, are used to model the problem. Based on the proposed analytical model, the effect of drill radius, chisel edge size, and backup plate size on the critical thrust force and feed rate are investigated. Experimental tests were carried out to prove analytical model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.657-674
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• 2009

In this paper a 3-D continuum damage mechanics formulation for composite laminates and its implementation into a finite element model that is based on the layer-wise laminate plate theory are described. In the damage formulation, each composite ply is treated as a homogeneous orthotropic material exhibiting orthotropic damage in the form of distributed microscopic cracks that are normal to the three principal material directions. The progressive damage of different angle ply composite laminates under quasi-static loading that exhibit the free edge effects are investigated. The effects of various numerical modeling parameters on the progressive damage response are investigated. It will be shown that the dominant damage mechanism in the lay-ups of [+30/-30]s and [+45/-45]s is matrix cracking. However, the lay-up of [+15/-15] may be delaminated in the vicinity of the edges and at $+{\theta}/-{\theta}$ layers interfaces.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-73
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• 2008

The present paper focuses on experimental verification of the ply-by-ply basis inelastic analysis of multidirectional laminates. First of all, rate dependence of the tensile behavior of balanced symmetric cross-ply T800H/epoxy laminates with a $[0/90]_{3S}$ lay-up under off-axis loading conditions at $100^{\circ}C$ is examined. Uniaxial tension tests are performed on plain coupon specimens with various fiber orientations $[{\theta}/(90-{\theta})]_{3S}$ ($\theta$ = 0, 5, 15, 45 and $90^{\circ}C$) at two different strain rates (1.0 and 0.01%/min). The off-axis stress.strain curves exhibit marked nonlinearity for all the off-axis fiber orientations except for the on-axis fiber orientations $\theta$ = 0 and $90^{\circ}$, regardless of the strain rates. Strain rate has significant influences not only on the off-axis flow stress in the regime of nonlinear response but also on the apparent off-axis elastic modulus in the regime of initial linear response. A macromechanical constitutive model based on a ply viscoplasticity model and the classical laminated plate theory is applied to predictions of the rate-dependent off-axis nonlinear behavior of the cross-ply CFRP laminate. The material constants involved by the ply viscoplasticity model are identified on the basis of the experimental results on the unidirectional laminate of the same carbon/epoxy system. It is demonstrated that good agreements between the predicted and observed results are obtained by taking account of the fiber rotation induced by deformation as well as the rate dependence of the initial Young's moduli.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.1063-1077
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• 2016

Components manufactured from composite materials are frequently subjected to superimposed mechanical and thermal loadings during their operating service. Both types of loadings may cause fracture and failure of composite structures. When composite cross-ply laminates of type [$0_m/90_n]_s$ are subjected to uni-axial tensile loading, different types of damage are set-up and developed such as matrix cracking: transverse and longitudinal cracks, delamination between disoriented layers and broken fibers. The development of these modes of damage can be detrimental for the stiffness of the laminates. From the experimental point of view, transverse cracking is known as the first mode of damage. In this regard, the objective of the present paper is to investigate the effect of transverse cracking in cross-ply laminate under thermo-mechanical degradation. A Finite Element (FE) simulation of damage evolution in composite crossply laminates of type [$0_m/90_n]_s$ subjected to uni-axial tensile loading is carried out. The effect of transverse cracking on the cross-ply laminate strength under thermo-mechanical degradation is investigated numerically. The results obtained by prediction of the numerical model developed in this investigation demonstrate the influence of the transverse cracking on the bearing capacity and resistance to damage as well as its effects on the variation of the mechanical properties such as Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and coefficient of thermal expansion. The results obtained are in good agreement with those predicted by the Shear-lag analytical model as well as with the obtained experimental results available in the literature.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.215-224
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• 2020

In the present study, according to the important of porosity in low specific weight in comparison of high stiffness of carbon nanotubes reinforced composite, buckling and free vibration analysis of sandwich composite beam in two configurations, of laminates using differential quadrature method (DQM) is studied. Also, the effects of porosity coefficient and three types of porosity distribution on critical buckling load and natural frequency are discussed. It is shown the buckling loads and natural frequencies of laminate 1 are significantly larger than the results of laminate 2. When configuration 2 (the core is made of FRC) and laminate 1 ([0/90/0/45/90]_s) are used, the first natural frequency rises noticeably. It is also demonstrated that the influence of the core height in the case of lower carbon volume fractions is negligible. Even though, when volume fraction of fiber increases, the critical buckling load enhances smoothly. It should be noticed the amount of decline has inverse relationship with the beam aspect ratio. Investigating three porosity patterns, beam with the distribution of porosity Type 2 has the maximum critical buckling load and first natural frequency. Among three elastic foundations (constant, linear and parabolic), buckling load and natural frequency in linear variation has the least amount. For all kind of elastic foundations, when the porosity coefficient increases, critical buckling load and natural frequency decline significantly.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1991.10a
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• pp.115-120
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• 1991

At the preliminary design stage, the orientations of laminae in a laminate are not known. This fact discourages the most of engineers from the beginning. If the quasi-isotropic constants are used, it halps the design engineer greatly to start his work. If conventional mechanics and elasticity theories can be used, the effort for design and analysis is greatly reduced. This paper reports the possibility of using the classical mechanics at the preliminary design stage for the laminated composite primary structure for civil construction. The result is quite promissing.