Layerwise Damage Investigation of Ply Orientation on Strength Characteristics of Carbon Fibre Composite

Abstract

Synthetic composites have higher strength to weight ratio and are extensively used in industrial applications. Most of the composites have orthotropic properties and their strength varies as per orientation. Carbon fibers are one of the synthetic fibres having extensively high tensile strength. Laminates having different ply orientations have different properties and strengths. Hence, to enhance strength properties, reducing layerwise damage becomes of up most important. It is not possible to investigate the layerwise damage of each ply separately by experimentation. This can be done by using ACP tool in ANSYS 19.2 software. In this project, two laminates having orientations as 0°-45°-0° and 0°-30°-60° are considered for analysis. Advance composite pre-post [ACP] tool from ANSYS software is used for simulation of these layers. From this analysis total deformation, equivalent stress and damage of each layer is determined. After getting layerwise damage, experimentation is done. Experimental tensile test is done on specimens above ply orientations to obtain force vs. deflection diagrams. Comparative analysis is made between simulation and experimental results. Results and conclusion is drawn. Experimental and simulation values differ by only 1%. This validates the simulation value of force reaction. Also from the result it can be seen that 0°-45°-0° laminate gives better results than that of 0°-30°-60° laminate. Hence, it can be concluded that Plate 1 has higher strength than Plate 2 i.e., 0°-45°-0° is better ply orientation than 0°-30°-60° ply orientation. Also it is observed that different ply orientations have different strengths.