No abstract

The response of a finite-width composite laminate under uniform axial strain is treated through the application of classical elasticity theory. Finite-difference solution techniques are employed to obtain solutions for stresses and displacements throughout the region. Results for material properties typical of a high modulus graphite-epoxy composite material system are presented which explain the mechanism of shear transfer within a symmetric laminate. In addition, results of this work are compared to those given in a recent approximate formulation.

The end notched flexure (ENF) specimen is examined as a candidate for measuring interlaminar fracture toughness in skew symmetric loading. A simple design study for sizing the ENF specimen to minimize geometric nonlinear response and to avoid nonlinear material behavior or flexural failure is presented. Results indicate that inter laminar shear effects may be significant for tough resin systems requiring large thickness-to-length geometries. The influences of interlaminar shear deformation and fric tion between the crack surfaces on the strain energy release rate are examined.

The increase in accessibility of fused filament fabrication (FFF) machines has inspired the scientific community to work towards the understanding of the structural performance of components fabricated with this technology. Numerous attempts to characterize and to estimate the mechanical properties of structures fabricated with FFF have been reported in the literature. Experimental characterization of printed components has been reported extensively. However, few attempts have been made to predict properties of printed structures with computational models, and a lot less work with analytical approximations. As a result, a thorough review of reported experimental characterization and predictive models is presented with the aim of summarizing applicability and limitations of those approaches. Finally, recommendations on practices for characterizing printed materials are given and areas that deserve further research are proposed.

No abstract