A layered limit analysis of pinned-joints composite laminates: Numerical versus experimental findings

The evaluation of the strength capability as well as the prediction of the failure mechanism of pinned-joints in composite laminates is addressed. Upper and lower bounds to the collapse (failure) load multiplier of statically loaded joints, fastening orthotropic laminates in plane stress conditions, are worked out via a limit analysis numerical procedure carried out at lamina level. Such a layer-by-layer approach, taking into account the actual stacking sequence of the laminate, is able to tackle the addressed problem with very good accuracy so resulting an effective design tool. A large number of experimental data, detected on real prototypes and available in the relevant literature, are considered to validate, by comparison with the numerical findings, the proposed procedure. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.