ANALYTICAL AND NUMERICAL-ANALYSES OF TRANSVERSE CRACKING IN A CROSS-PLY LAMINATE - INFLUENCE OF THE CONSTRAINING EFFECT

The restraint exerted by the two undamaged longitudinal layers of a cross-ply laminate on the extension of matrix cracks in the central transverse layer is investigated from two points of view. First, the relative contribution of the undamaged layers to the whole laminate strain energy release rate is estimated through two different already existing models. Then the main features of a semi-analytical model recently proposed (with a view to deriving an approximate expression for the stress field around the front of a part-through-width crack) are described. The related strain energy release rate is compared with that obtained from five other models.