Buckle-driven delamination models for laminate strength prediction and damage tolerant design

Two state-of-the-art analytical compression after impact (CAI) modelling approaches are presented and evaluated for the problem of thin-film buckle-driven propagation a delamination in composite laminates. Characteristic phenomena investigated by evaluating behaviour energy release rate an anisotropic sublaminate above 2D embedded delamination. These characteristics include extension-bend, shear-bend bend-twist coupling as well contact base laminate. A holistic approach with aid detailed analysis deformation from artificial experiments finite element provide strong validation approaches. Suggestions made regarding methods suitable use initial aerospace structural design stage. It is found that models which capture mode-mixity post-buckled terms accurately will allow better decisions to be not overly conservative. Whereas methods, do account such mixity post-buckling, can nevertheless used damage tolerance.