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In this study, a novel procedure has been developed for predicting the notched strengths of composite plates each with a center hole. In this approach, the stress distribution of a composite plate with a center hole is first obtained by a finite element analysis, in which the experimental notched strength is applied at the boundary of the finite element model. Secondly, the point stress criterion (PSC) is used to find the characteristic length for each plate with different size of hole by an interpolation of the finite element analysis results. The characteristic length is then expressed as an empirical function of the hole size as well as the width of the plate. Finally, the notched strengths of composite plates are predicted based on the empirical function and the finite element analysis results incorporated with the principle of superposition in elasticity. For validation, three different cases from the literatures are adopted for comparison. It is shown that the predicted notched strengths by this new methodology agree well with both the experimental results and the results from analytical solutions based PSC.

In this study, the notched strengths of three kinds of braided composite plates with a center hole were investigated. Both point stress criterion (PSC) and average stress criterion (ASC) were first applied to find the characteristic length of each braided composite plate with different sizes of the hole. It was found that the characteristic lengths predicted by both criteria are not constants. Based on the concept of three-parameter criterion, the characteristic lengths obtained by both criteria were then proposed to be expressed as functions of hole size as well as width of the plate. The notched strength of braided composite plates was then predicted. Finally, it was shown that both modified PSC and modified ASC gave better predictions of the notched strength than traditional PSC and ASC for all the kinds of braided composite plates.

In the past, the fiber bundles were mostly meshed for computing the mechanical properties of the unit cell in fabric composites. Consequently, not only the degrees of freedom but also the complexities in computation are increased. To improve the efficiency in analysis, in this study, a previously developed spring model was extended to predict the effective elastic moduli of three-dimensional (four-step) braided tubes. In the meanwhile, a related compression test was conducted to validate the computational results. It is shown that the results from the computation agree well with the experimental results. In addition, the effects of fabric parameters (such as surface braid angle and fiber volume fraction in a fan-shaped unit cell) on the effective elastic moduli of three-dimensional (four-step) braided tubes were also investigated.

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A computer simulation program has been developed and is used in teaching and learning for circular motions. The program can illustrate a moving particle with its position, velocity, and acceleration. It can also draw the angular position‐time figure, angular velocity‐time figure, and angular acceleration‐time figure. Students were divided into 4 groups: A, B, C, and D. Group A used only traditional teaching methods without computer simulations. Group B used 20% of class time to see demos of the computer simulations that were controlled by instructors only. Group C used 20% of the class time in using the simulation programs which were controlled by the individual student. Group D used 20% of the class time to see demos controlled by the instructors and complete an in‐class handout that was closely related to the simulations. The results showed that Students in Groups B, C, and D did better on the examination. This suggested that the computer simulations helped students understand the motions more clearly. Students in group D had the best test scores and the most positive responses to the teaching and learning. This suggested that a handout closely related to the computer simulations would greatly help students understand the topic more precisely. Only students in Group C could control the simulation by themselves, but the learning result of Group C was not the best. This suggested that many students did not know how to learn through interaction with computers. Most of the students learn more from the demos controlled by the instructors and a closely related handout. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 23:865–871, 2015; View this article online at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI