Comparative assessment of analytical and numerical frameworks for shear-dominant interlaminar delamination in pultruded CFRP spar caps

Puntos clave

• This assessment aims to evaluate the effectiveness of different analytical and numerical frameworks for predicting shear-dominant interlaminar delamination in CFRP spar caps.
• Conducted End-Notched Flexure tests to characterize Mode II fracture in pultruded CFRP spar caps.
• Compared Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) and Cohesive Zone Model (CZM) in delamination predictions.
• Assessed mesh sensitivity and crack propagation behavior using XFEM-VCCT with varying aspect ratios.
• VCCT matched theory but delayed crack initiation compared to CZM.
• CZM provided smooth softening and stable crack propagation, demonstrating the best stability-to-cost balance.
• Both VCCT and CZM displayed low sensitivity to mesh refinement, while XFEM-VCCT performance depended on crack-front aspect ratio.