The effect of free-edges and layer shifting on intralaminar and interlaminar stresses in woven composites

The free-edge effects and relative layer shifting in the interlaminar and intralaminar stresses of plain woven composite laminates under uniaxial extension is investigated numerically using a finite element approach. A computational framework of the free-edge problem for periodic structures with finite width is applied to woven laminates. First, two-layered laminates with three different shifting configurations are studied considering repeating unit cells simulating finite and infinite width. For each configuration, two different widths are considered by trimming the model at different locations in order to investigate different free-edge effects. Then, two four-layered laminates with no shifting and a maximum shifting configuration are analyzed to illustrate the effect of neighboring layers in the stresses. For each shifting configuration, different delamination mechanisms are expected. When considering more layers, it is found that the stacking configuration affects the state of stress and the free-edge effects depending on the shifting. In general, a different behavior than that of unidirectional tape laminates is found, since the interlaminar and intralaminar stresses can be higher than those generated at the free-edges. Particularly, for the maximum shifting configuration results are in agreement with experimental results in the literature where no debonding between yarns was observed at the free-edges.