Some crack problems in composite material

• Main Author: Bong, Hendra.
• Other Authors: Xiao Zhongmin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Composite materials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/45978
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This report covers the parametric study of the stress intensity factor of cracks in composite materials. The analysis of crack in composites was performed using Abaqus Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software. It involved modelling a 2‐dimensional composite with a notch crack, where the stress intensity factors at the crack tip K1 and K2 were recorded. Different crack locations were studied and experimental analysis has shown that stress intensity factor increases if the crack appears nearer to the surface of the plane. The stress intensity is also greatly affected by the ratio of the modulus of the constituent materials. Analysis has shown that as the crack approaches the constituent material with lower modulus, the stress intensity is bound to increase. The reverse is true for material with higher modulus. A separate analysis was performed to learn the behaviour of the stress intensity factor at the crack tip when a specimen is coated with a varying thickness of coating material. Results have shown that as the thickness of the coating material increases, the stress intensity factor decreases.