Stress Analysis of Hole Orientation and Laminate Geometry Impacting on Boron/Epoxy Composites Laminates

Abstract

Boron/epoxy laminates are used in aircraft and space vehicles for their high strength. Evaluation of stresses and residual strength of the laminate with square cutout are not analyzed in the literature. The present work is focused on studying the effect of hole orientation and laminate geometry on Boron/Epoxy composites laminates under in-plane loading. The analytical solution for stresses around holes in laminates is derived using Savins’s complex variables method to consider a multilayered plate with different hole shapes and orientations of loading. The basic equations of failure criteria available for plain laminates are derived to calculate the residual strength of the laminates with hole using the stresses obtained from the analytical solution. The derived analytical solution is validated by reproducing exactly the same results of earlier researchers even by other formulations and also by the results of finite element analysis using ANSYS. The [0/0]s laminate is not preferred due to highest stress concentrations at the corners that range between 12 to 12.45. Similarly, [45/-45]s laminate is also not preferred due to its higher values of stress concentrations which range from 9.5 to 28. The normalized stress for [0/90]s under x-axis loading is 9.6 and for y-axis loading it is 9.5 which is almost the same. Even for equi-biaxial loading, it is 8.5 and for shear loading, it is 12.45. Except for shear loading, [0/90]s laminate seems to be a better choice for a reasonable value of stress concentration for any general case loading. The analytical solution derived in the present work is the most general and unique as it can yield the stresses around any shape of hole and laminate geometry and all types of in plane loading. This solution will be able to reproduce the results of all other solutions available in the literature by different formulations.