Prediction of Transverse Cracking and Stiffness Reduction in Cross-Ply Laminated Composites

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Abstract
A modified shear lag analysis, taking into account the concept of in terlaminar shear layer, is employed to predict the onset of a transverse crack and multiple transverse cracking. In this analysis, the boundary conditions are satisfied for any trans verse crack spacing. The crack multiplication is simulated by adjusting the crack spacing. Based on this analysis the laminate stiffness reduction due to the multiple transverse crack ing is also evaluated in cross-ply laminated composites. The energy concept is utilized to assess the effect of 90° layer thickness and the constraining effect of 0° layer on the trans verse cracking behavior of cross-ply laminated composites. Predictions of the onset of a transverse crack and stiffness reduction due to transverse cracks are compared with those of previous analyses and existing experimental data. The present analysis is simple, yet its results show reasonable agreement with experimental results.