Analysis of Single Lap Adhesive Composite Joints with Delaminated Adherends
A Shear Deformable Plate Element with Linked Interpolations

Date:  Tuesday, April 20, 1999
Time:  3:30 p.m.
Place:  W128 Nebraska Hall

Analysis of Single Lap Adhesive Composite Joints with Delaminated Adherends

Minghao Qin
Department of Engineering Mechanics
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE    68588-0526
Advisor:  Dr. Y. Dzenis

The beam theory is used to model single lap adhesive composite joints with delaminated adherends. Variation of the strain energy release rate with delamination size in the joints with unidirectional and cross-ply adherends is calculated and analyzed. Growth of delaminations of different initial size is studied experimentally and compared with the results of calculation. Experimental observations are found to corroborate with theoretical predictions.

A Shear Deformable Plate Element with Linked Interpolations

D. S. Joseph
Department of Engineering Mechanics
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0526
Advisor:  Dr. R. Piltner

A plate-bending element based on a higher order theory is developed and compared to other elements.  The element uses linked interpolations between displacement and rotation fields and uses parabolic functions of the thickness coordinate for the transverse shear strains.  The proposed finite element for the inclusion of shear deformations avoids locking for thin plates.