Mechanical joints in composite laminates- a complex stress function based pin loaded hole approximation

• Main Author: Bidgood, Peter Mark
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10539/16287

Classical laminate theory is a well known theory for obtaining the properties and stress distribution in a layered orthotropic laminate. This theory, however, only applies to laminates o f in finite size, where disturbances in the stress field as m ay be caused by free edges, holes or cu t-outs are not present. Methods o f calculating the stress distributions and behaviour o f holes and pin-loaded holes in a composite laminate have been investigated. This dissertation presents a computer program written in the "C" programming language as implemented on a personal computer. T h e theory is based upon the original work o f Lekhnitski (1947) [Ref], as further developed and presented b y De Jong. T he theory is briefly presented. The method is an "alternative to the more expensive method of finite element modelling and is derived from the solution o f the governing differential equation by means cd complex stress functions. T he program, (BHOLES), is a data generating module which generates the stress field in the vicinity of a hole or pin-loaded hole in a laminate specimen of arbitrary width to hole diameter ratio. Alternative methods o f presenting and analysing the generated data have been investigated but no direct comparison is made with experimental results. T h e accuracy of the generated data is verified b y several methods including correlation with data generated by an independently developed program. Indirect reference to test results obtained by D e Jong [2] is used to indicate the effectiveness o f the model.