Deducing the R-curve for trans-laminar fracture from a virtual Over-height Compact Tension (OCT) test

Xu, Xiaodong; Wisnom, Michael R.; Hallett, Stephen R.

Abstract

The R-curve for Mode I trans-laminar fracture energy in quasi-isotropic IM7/8552 carbon/epoxy laminates is here deduced numerically from a virtual Over-height Compact Tension (OCT) test. A High-fidelity Finite Element Method (Hi-FEM) using the explicit Finite Element (FE) software LS-Dyna was adopted. Cohesive interface elements and a Weibull fibre failure criterion were used to predict failure. The input parameters for the Hi-FEM were measured from independent characterisation tests. OCT specimens were tested to verify the Hi-FEM results with good agreement. The R-curve effect is postulated to be caused by the growth of the height of the Fracture Process Zone (FPZ) with crack length. Hi-FEM can be used to better understand Mode I trans-laminar fracture toughness tests and generate fracture properties such as damage heights and R-curves for future structural scale models.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 29, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Dec 31, 2018
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Feb 15, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 18, 2021
• Journal: Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
• Print ISSN: 1359-835X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 118
• Pages: 162-170
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2018.12.027
• Keywords: A. Laminates; B. Fracture; B. Fracture toughness; C. Finite Element Analysis (FEA); R-curve
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7094462
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Deducing the R-curve for trans-laminar fracture from a virtual Over-height Compact Tension (OCT) test; Journal Title: Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2018.12.027; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.