Effect of fiber angle orientation and stacking sequence on mixed mode fracture toughness of carbon fiber reinforced plastics: Numerical and experimental investigations

This paper focuses on the effect of fiber orientation and stacking sequence on the progressive mixed mode delamination failure in composite laminates using fracture experiments and finite element (FE) simulations. Every laminate is modelled numerically combining damageable layers with defined fiber orientations and cohesive zone interface elements, subjected to mixed mode bending. The numerical simulations are then calibrated and validated through experiments, conducted following standardized mixed mode delamination tests. The numerical model is able to successfully capture the experimentally observed effects of fiber angle orientations and variable stacking sequences on the global load-displacement response and mixed mode inter-laminar fracture toughness of the various laminates. For better understanding of the failure mechanism, fracture surfaces of laminates with different stacking sequences are also studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.