Finite Element Failure Analysis on CGFRP Laminates

This research focuses on comprehensive analysis on investigating the interlaminar fracture toughness and displacement behaviour of carbon and glass fiber reinforced hybrid polymer composites utilizing epoxy matrices. Delamination is the separation of layers within composite materials and interlaminar fracture toughness are an essential quality of measures that indicates the ability of a material to resist delamination. Predicting and preventing the failure of hybrid composites requires an understanding of their interlaminar fracture toughness values. Since delamination is a common failure mode of composite materials, it strongly affects the mechanical properties and load carrying ability of the structure. Such that assessing its interlaminar fracture toughness allows engineers to anticipate potential points of weakness, and prevent these areas from becoming problematic through any number of techniques designed to combat delamination. In hybrid composites, the capacity for energy dissipation and fracture in the matrix must be well evidenced before predicting structural integrity. This paper applies ANSYS simulation to model and evaluate the effects of five combinations of hybrid laminates, on both fracture toughness and displacement characteristics, to prove stress mitigation. The specific area that was researched involved fibre stacking sequences, fibre orientations, fibre types and thickness of lamina in an attempt to analyse the absorbent impact toughness of the different laminates. The parameters of interest are examined to not only determine the level of the interlaminar fracture toughness but also analyze the structure’s displacement fields. The results will benefit the field of composite mechanics in gaining a better understanding of composite designs for the integration of composite structures into new generations of multipurpose and high fracture resisting materials for practical applications in engineering.