FINITE ELEMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF DELAMINATION IN COMPOSITE PLATES

Modelling of composite structures by finite element (FE) codes to effectively model certain critical failure modes such as delamination is limited. Previous efforts to model delamination and debonding failure modes using FE codes have typically relied on ad hoc failure criteria and quasi-static fracture data. Improvements to these modelling procedures can be made by using an approach based on fracture mechanics. A study of modelling delamination using the finite element code ANSYS was conducted. This investigation demonstrates the modelling of composites through improved delamination modelling. Further developments to this approach may be improved.