The paper represents the author’s contribution to the Third World-Wide Failure Exercise, which is aimed at benchmarking current models of damage, matrix cracking, initiation of delamination and their interaction with fibre failure. The approach used for the development of damage in laminates is based on an energy methodology that requires knowledge of the dependence of thermo-elastic constants on damage. The various models, developed by the author, are applied to the majority of the Third World-Wide Failure Exercise Test Cases, which included thin and thick cross ply and quasi-isotropic laminates, loading and unloading of an angle ply laminate, bending of a general laminate, and cracking under thermal loadings. Methods used to predict ply properties from those of the fibres and matrix are also described. Crack density in the 90 degree plies was modelled using a ply refinement technique. Detailed discussion is made on a number of relevant issues (initiating defect size and shape, fibre strength, ply saturation, off-axis ply cracking, delamination, mixed mode ply cracking) and their likely effects on design.
Kaddour AS, Hinton MJ, Li S, et al. The background to Part A of the Third World-Wide Failure Exercise (WWFE-III). J Compos Mater 2013; 47(20–21): 2417–2426.
2.
Kaddour AS, Hinton MJ, Smith PA, et al. A comparison between the predictive capability of matrix cracking, damage and failure criteria for fibre reinforced composite laminates: Part A of the third world wide failure exercise. J Compos Mater 2013; 47(20–21): 2749–2779.
3.
Kaddour AS, Hinton MJ, Smith PA, et al. Mechanical properties and details of composite laminates for the test cases used in the third world wide failure exercise. J Compos Mater 2013; 47(20–21): 2427–2442.
4.
Soden PD, Hinton MJ, Kaddour AS and papers published as part of the First Worldwide Failure Exercise, Part A is published in Comp Sci Tech 1998; 58. Part B of the Exercise is published in Comp. Sci. Tech. (2002), 62. Part C of the Exercise is published in Comp Sci Tech 2004.
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Kaddour AS and Hinton MJ. Maturity of 3D failure criteria for fibre reinforced composites: Comparison between theories and experiments: Part B of WWFE-II. J Compos Mater 2013; 47: 925–966.
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McCartney LN. Ply cracking in general symmetric laminates – Theoretical foundations. see supplementary information on Journal web page associated with this volume.
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McCartneyLN. Predicting ply crack formation and failure in laminates. Part B in International Failure Exercise. Comp Sci Tech2002; 62: 1619–1631.
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McCartney LN. Physically based damage models for laminated composites. Proc Instn Mech Engrs 2003; 217: Part L: J. Mater: Design Applications 163–199.
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