Numerical Investigation of Delamination in Carbon-Epoxy Composite using Arcan Specimen

Authors: M. Nikbakht, N. Choupani

Abstract:

In this paper delamination phenomenon in Carbon-Epoxy laminated composite material is investigated numerically. Arcan apparatus and specimen is modeled in ABAQUS finite element software for different loading conditions and crack geometries. The influence of variation of crack geometry on interlaminar fracture stress intensity factor and energy release rate for various mixed mode ratios and pure mode I and II was studied. Also, correction factors for this specimen for different crack length ratios were calculated. The finite element results indicate that for loading angles close to pure mode-II loading, a high ratio of mode-II to mode-I fracture is dominant and there is an opposite trend for loading angles close to pure mode-I loading. It confirms that by varying the loading angle of Arcan specimen pure mode-I, pure mode-II and a wide range of mixed-mode loading conditions can be created and tested. Also, numerical results confirm that the increase of the mode- II loading contribution leads to an increase of fracture resistance in the CF/PEI composite (i.e., a reduction in the total strain energy release rate) and the increase of the crack length leads to a reduction of interlaminar fracture resistance in the CF/PEI composite (i.e., an increase in the total interlaminar strain energy release rate).

Keywords: Fracture Mechanics, Mixed Mode, Arcan Specimen, Finite Element.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1333786

References:

[1] B. S. Majumdar and D. Hunston. "Continuous Parallel Fiber composite fracture." Encyclopedia of materials: science and technology. Pp 1618- 1629.2001.
[2] James R. Reeder. K. Song, P. Chunchu, D. R. Ambur, "Postbukling and growth of delamination in composite plates subjected to axial compression." AIAA journal, 2002.
[3] Carlsson LA, Gillespie JW, Pipes RB. "On the analysis and design of end notched flexure (ENF) specimen for measuring mode II fracture toughness." Composite science and technology 1986.
[4] ABAQUS user-s manual, version 6.5. Pawtucket, USA: Hibbit, Karlsson and Sorensen, HKS Inc; 2004.
[5] JG. Williams. "End correction for orthotropic DCB Specimen." Comp science and technology, 1989.
[6] John H. Crews, Jr. and James R. Reeder. "A mixed mode bending apparatus for delamination testing." NASA technical memorandum 100662, August 1988.
[7] James R. Reeder and John R. Crews. "Mixed Mode Bending Method for Delamination Testing." Published in AIAA Journal, vol 28, 1990, pages 1270-1276.
[8] James R. Reeder. "Refinements of the mixed mode bending test for delamination toughness." NASA Langley research center, Hampton, VA, 23681-2199, 1990.
[9] James R. Reeder. "3d mixed mode delamination fracture criteria-an experimentalist perspective." NASA Langley research center,M/S 188E, Hampton VA 23681-2199,USA.
[10] Andras Szekrenyes. "Delamination fracture analysis in the GI-GII plane using prestressed transparent composite beams." International journal of solids and structures 44(2007) 3359-3378.
[11] Andras Szekrenyes. "Prestressed fracture specimen for delamination testing of composites." International journal of fracture (2006) 139: 213- 237.
[12] E. Priel, A. bussiba, I. Gilad, Z. Yosibash. "Mixed mode failure criteria for brittle elastic V-notched structures." International journal of fracture (2007) 144: 247-265.
[13] Ronald Krueger. "A shell/3D modeling technique for delamination in composite laminates. In proceedings of the American society for composites," 14th technical conference, technomic publishing, 1999.
[14] Ronald Krueger, P. J. Minguet, T. K. O-Brien. "Implementation of interlaminar fracture mechanics in design: an overview.", Presented at 14th international conference on composite materials (ICCM-14), San Diego, July 14-18,2003.
[15] R. Krueger, D. Goetze. "Influence of finite element software on energy release rates computed using the virtual crack closure technique." NASA/CR-2006-214523, NIA Report No. 2006-06.
[16] C. Liu, Y. Huang, M.L. Lovato, M.G. Stout. "Measurement of the fracture toughness of fiber reinforced composite using the Brazilian geometry." International journal of fracture 87: 241-263.1997.
[17] L. Banks-Sills, Y. Freed, R. Eliasi, V.Fourman. "Fracture toughness of the +45/-45 interface of laminate composite." International journal of fracture (2006) 141: 195-210.
[18] P. Davies et al. Standard test method for delamination resistance of composite materials: current status, applied composite materials 5: 345- 364, 1998.
[19] F. F. Dharmawan, G. Simpson, I. Herszberg, S. John. "Mixed mode fracture toughness of GFRP composites." Composite Structures,2006
[20] M. Arcan, Z. hashin, A. voloshin, "A method to produce uniform plane stress state with application to fiber-reinforced materials," Experimental mechanics. 1978.
[21] M.A. Sutton, W. Zhao, M.L. Boone, A.P.Reynolds, D.S. Dawicke, "Prediction of crack growth direction for mode I/II loading using smallscale yielding and void initiation/growth concepts." International Journal of Fracture, 83, 1997.
[22] M.R. Ayatollahi, R. Hashemi. "Mixed mode Fracture in an inclined center crack repaired by composite patching." Composite structure, 81, 264-273, 2007.
[23] M.R. Ayatollahi, D.J. Smith and M.J. Pavier."Crack-tip Constraint in mode II deformation." International Journal of Fracture, 113, 2002.
[24] S.C. Hung and K.M. Liechti. "An evaluation of the Arcan specimen for determining the shear module of fiber reinforced composites." Experimental mechanics, volume 37, no. 4, December 1997.
[25] N. Hallback. "The influence of finite geometry and material properties on mixed mode I/II fracture of aluminum." International journal of fracture 87: 151-188, 1997.
[26] Naghdali Choupani. "Experimental and numerical investigation of the mixed mode delamination in Arcan laminated specimens." Material science and technology, volume 478: 229-242,2008.
[27] M.W. Hyer. "Stress analysis of fiber reinforced composite materials." McGrow-Hill.1997.
[28] S. Courtin, "Advantages of the J- integral approach for calculating stress intensity factors when using the commercial finite element software ABAQUS," Engineering Fracture Mechanics,2005.
[29] J.M.Q. Oliveira, A. Haddi, A. Seddak, A. lavie. "Numerical analysis of the MMB test for mixed mode I/II wood fracture," composite science and technology 67 (2007).
[30] ABAQUS user-s manual, version 6.5. Pawtucket, USA: Hibbit, Karlsson and Sorensen, HKS Inc; 2004.
[31] A. T. Zehnder. "Lecture on fracture mechanics." Cornell University.2007.