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

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).

Authors:

• M. Nikbakht
• N. Choupani

Keywords:

• Fracture Mechanics
• Mixed Mode
• Arcan Specimen
• Finite Element.

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.