STRENGTH OF NOTCHED AND UNNOTCHED GRAPHITE EPOXY LAMINATES LOADED IN COMPRESSION

An experimental program is conducted to assess the effects of geometry and ply orientation on the failure of notched and unnotched laminates which are subjected to uniaxial compressive loading. The mechanisms by which failure occurs are determined from a macroscopic point of view. The results show that several mechanisms (in-plane damage, delamination, ply buckling, and laminate buckling) interact to cause ultimate failure of the laminate. Important factors affecting the strength are identified. An approach is presented to systematically characterize the strength by these factors. The usefulness of the approach in design is demonstrated.