Leiting Dong¹, Ahmed S. El-Gizawy², Khalid A. Juhany², Satya N. Atluri³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.40, No.1, pp. 49-78, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.040.049

Abstract In this study, a simple 4-node locking-alleviated mixed finite element (denoted as CEQ4) is developed, for the modeling of homogeneous or functionally graded or laminated thick-section composite beam structures, without using higher-order (in the thickness direction) or layer-wise zig-zag theories of composite laminates which are widely popularized in current literature. Following the work of [Dong and Atluri (2011)], the present element independently assumes a 5-parameter linearly-varying Cartesian strain field. The independently assumed Cartesian strains are related to the Cartesian strains derived from mesh-based Cartesian displacement interpolations, by exactly enforcing 5 pre-defined constraints at 5 pre-selected collocation points. The constraints are… More >

Da-Guang Zhang^1,*, Hao-Miao Zhou¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.40, No.1, pp. 21-34, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.040.021

Abstract Nonlinear symmetric free vibration analyses are first presented for super elliptical isotropic thin plates with simply supported edge and clamped edge based on classical plate theory. Approximate solutions of super elliptical thin plates are obtained by Ritz method, and the validity can be confirmed by comparison with related researchers’ results. Numerical results confirm that the characteristics of nonlinear vibration behaviors are significantly influenced by different boundary conditions, vibration amplitudes, the power of the super ellipse, as well as ratio of major to minor axis. More >

Meng-Kao Yeh¹, Chia-Shien Liu², Chien-Chang Chen³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.39, No.1, pp. 3-20, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.039.003

Abstract The dynamic instability of rectangular graphite/epoxy composite plates under parametric excitation was investigated analytically and experimentally. In analysis, the dynamic system of the composite plate, obtained based on the assumedmodes method, is a general form of Mathieu’s equation, including parametrically excited terms. The instability regions of the system, each separated by two transition curves, were found to be functions of the modal parameters of the composite plate and the position and the excited amplitude of the electromagnetic device on the composite plates. The fiber orientation, the aspect ratio and the layer numbers of the composite plates were varied to assess… More >

J.B. Niu¹, L.L. Li², Q. Xu¹, Z.H. Xia^1,3

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.38, No.1, pp. 31-41, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.038.031

Abstract Crack deflection and penetration at the interface of multi-wall carbon nanotube/amorphous carbon composites were studied via molecular dynamics simulations. In-situ strength of double-wall nanotubes bridging a matrix crack was calculated under various interfacial conditions. The structure of the nanotube reinforcement -ideal multi-wall vs. multi-wall with interwall sp³ bonding - influences the interfacial sliding and crack penetration. When the nanotube/matrix interface is strong, matrix crack penetrates the outermost layer of nanotubes but it deflects within the nanotubes with certain sp³ interwall bond density, resulting in inner wall pullout. With increasing the sp³ interwall bond density, the fracture mode becomes brittle; the… More >

M. Chatiri¹, A. Matzenmiller²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.35, No.3, pp. 255-283, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.035.255

Abstract This article presents a three dimensional constitutive model for anisotropic damage to describe the elastic-brittle behavior of unidirectional fibrereinforced laminated composites. The primary objective of the article focuses on the three dimensional relationship between damage of the material and the effective elastic properties for the purpose of stress analysis of composite structures, in extension to the two dimensional model in Matzenmiller, Lubliner and Taylor (1995). A homogenized continuum is adopted for the constitutive theory of anisotropic damage and elasticity. Damage initiation criteria are based on Puck failure criterion for first ply failure and progressive micro crack propagation is based on… More >

Christian Heinrich¹, Anthony M. Waas²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.35, No.2, pp. 155-181, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.035.155

Abstract The smeared crack approach (SCA) is revisited to describe post-peak softening in laminated composite materials. First, predictions of the SCA are compared against linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) based predictions for the debonding of an adhesively bonded double cantilever beam. A sensitivity analysis is performed to establish the influence of element size and cohesive strength on the load-deflection response. The SCA is further validated by studying the in-plane fracture of a laminated composite in a single edge bend test configuration. In doing so, issues related to mesh size and their effects (or non-effects) are discussed and compared against other predictive… More >

M. C. Song¹, B.V. Sankar¹, G. Subhash¹, C. F. Yen²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.35, No.1, pp. 67-85, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.035.067

Abstract Delamination initiation and propagation in plain woven laminates and 3D orthogonal woven composites during short beam shear (SBS) test were analyzed using finite element (FE) analyses. Two kinds of 3D woven composites, containing single z-yarns and double z-yarns, were considered. The FE models were guided by experimental observations from SBS tests for the same material systems. A series of mechanisms including creation and evolution of matrix cracks and delaminations were modeled discretely. The force-displacement curves obtained from the FE simulations were compared with those from experiments. Further parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of z-yarns and interlaminar fracture… More >

K. C. Liu¹, S. M. Arnold²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.35, No.1, pp. 35-65, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.035.035

Abstract It is well known that failure of a material is a locally driven event. In the case of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), significant variations in the microstructure of the composite exist and their significance on both deformation and life response need to be assessed. Examples of these variations include changes in the fiber tow shape, tow shifting/nesting and voids within and between tows. In the present work, the influence of many of these scale specific architectural features of woven ceramic composite are examined stochastically at both the macroscale (woven repeating unit cell (RUC)) and structural scale (idealized using multiple RUCs).… More >

Chandra Veer Singh^1,*

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.34, No.3, pp. 227-249, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.034.227

Abstract A non-linear damage model is developed for the prediction of stiffness degradation in composite laminates due to transverse matrix cracking. The model follows the framework of a recently developed synergistic damage mechanics (SDM) approach which combines the strengths of micro-damage mechanics and continuum damage mechanics (CDM) through the so-called constraint parameters. A common limitation of the current CDM and SDM models has been the tendency to over-predict stiffness changes at high crack densities due to linearity inherent in their stiffness-damage relationships. The present paper extends this SDM approach by including higher order damage terms in the characterization of ply cracking… More >

A. Ataş¹, C. Soutis²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.34, No.3, pp. 199-226, 2013, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2013.034.199

Abstract A strength prediction method is presented for double-lap single fastener bolted joints of cross-ply carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite laminates using cohesive zone elements (CZEs). Three-dimensional finite element models were developed and CZEs were inserted into subcritical damage planes identified from X-ray radiographs. The method makes a compromise between the experimental correlation factors (dependant on lay-up, stacking sequence and joint geometry) and three material properties (fracture energy, interlaminar strength and nonlinear shear stress-strain response). Strength of the joints was determined from the predicted load-displacement curves considering sub-laminate and plylevel scaling effects. The predictions are in a reasonable agreement with… More >