The significance of microdamage in glass-reinforced plastics at macroscopic stress concentrators

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Abstract
Tangential edge stress distributions for orthotropic plates containing holes were computed for various orientations of the principal material axes with respect to load. The results were compared with material strength distributions to predict failure in various GRP laminates. Elastic stress distributions can be used to predict the position and remote stress level for the onset of debonding between matrix and fibres with reasonable accuracy. The stress concentrator is almost fully effective at this stage but becomes less effective at more advanced states of damage. An examination of large specimens revealed a substantial adverse size effect. It is suggested that the onset of debonding forms a suitable basis for design and that a further examination of size effects is required.