Theoretical Prediction of Tensile Strength Property of Fiber Metal Laminates

This study estimates the theoretical tensile strength properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Aluminium Laminates (CARALL) fiber-metal laminates (FMLs) for two stacking configurations like Type 1 (aluminum outermost: A|C|A|C|A) and Type 2 (carbon-fiber outermost: C|A|C|A|C) that are taken from the experimental data in literature. For achieving this purpose, two complementary approaches Metal Volume Fraction (MVF) and Classical Laminate Theory (CLT) are adopted. Tsai-Hill / von Mises Criteria are applied for first ply failure and progressive failure. The results indicated that for Type 2, CLT method predicts 728 MPa tensile strength, which is in good agreement with experimental value — an under-prediction of only 6%. The MVF Rule of Mixtures provides a reliable upper bound: +7% for Type 2 and +22% for Type 1 composite samples, respectively. In addition, for CLT progressive failure analysis, 90° CF ply transverse cracking (matrix failure) — FPF at ~463-472 MPa for both types while Aluminum layer yielding/failure — occurs after FPF due to load redistribution, but 0° CF fibre fracture — ultimate failure event, dominant load-bearing mechanism.