The background to the Second World-Wide Failure Exercise

In 2004, the authors completed the First World-Wide Failure Exercise dealing with benchmarking recognised failure criteria under two-dimensional, in-plane loadings. Based on the success and the lessons learnt, and using the same strategy, the authors have organised the ‘Second World-Wide Failure Exercise’. It aims at filling key gaps identified and establishing the status of 12 theoretical methods for predicting failure in fibre-reinforced composite materials subjected to three-dimensional or (triaxial) states of stress. This paper gives an account of the background to the Second World-Wide Failure Exercise, the process of completing the first part (Part A) and a summary of key conclusions.