ME 429 Introduction to Composite Materials

Macro-Mechanics

Macro Mechanics Intro

Micromechanics allowed us to obtain average
material properties for a composite ply from
matrix and fiber properties.
Ply mechanics considers average material
properties for a single ply with any fiber
orientation angle.
Macromechanics will put several plies together in
order to evaluate stresses and strains within each
ply when a composite laminate is subject to force
or displacement boundary conditions

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Deformations in a Plate

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Plate Assumptions
Each layer is in state of plane stress: Length of
line AD is constant.
-- this neglects normal strain in z direction
Layers are perfectly bonded together, therefore
displacements are continuous across boundaries
Kirchoff-Love hypothesis: Normals to the center
line remain normal to center line after deformation
-- this neglects through the thickness shears

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Stress Profile for Homogeneous Material

Continuous stress and strain (Under effect of Moment)

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Stress and Strain Profiles for Laminates

(Bending)
Continuous strain
Discontinuous stress

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Displacements
Displacements of all points are related to the mid-plane displacement

u(x,y,z)=u0(x,y)-zfx(x,y)
v(x,y,z)=v0(x,y)-zfy(x,y)
if plate is thin

assuming:

w 0
x
w 0
f y ( x , y)
y
f x ( x , y)

length of A-D is constant ezz~0

fx and fx are very small

w(x,y,z)=w0(x,y)
ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Strain-Displacement Relations
Linear strain-displacement relationship:
u
e x ( x , y, z )
x
v
e x ( x , y, z )
x
u v
g xy ( x , y, z)

y x
v w
g y z ( x , y, z )

z y
u w
g xz ( x , y, z)

z x
ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Strains and Curvatures

Substituting displacement from the previous page and
simplifying yields:
Strains in terms of midplane strains and curvatures

e x e0 x x
0
e y e y z y
g g 0 xy
xy
xy
strains mid

in
surface zcurvatures
plate strains

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Midsurface Strains and Curvatures

Midsurface Strains

Curvatures

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

u 0
e x ( x , y)
x
v
e 0 y ( x , y) 0
y
u
v
g 0 xy ( x, y) 0 0
y x
0

2w 0
f x
x ( x , y)

x
x 2
f y
2w 0
y ( x , y)

y
y 2

Due to
bending

2w 0
xy ( x, y) 2
xy

Due to
twisting

Force and Moment Resultants

Resultant force have units of force per length of laminate (N/m)

Resultant moments have units of length times force per length of laminate
(N.m/m)
ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Stress Resultants for a Single Ply

Stress resultants

N x t / 2 x

N y y dz
N t / 2
xy
xy

Moment Resultants

M x t / 2 x

M y y zdz
M t / 2
xy
xy

What are the units?

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Geometry

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Stress Resultants for a Laminate

Simply sum over the number of layers
Stress resultants
k

Nx
x
N t/2

y y dz
N k 1 t / 2
xy
xy

Mx
x
t
/
2
N
Moment Resultants

M y y zdz
M k 1 t / 2
xy
xy
k

k is the layer number counting from the bottom up N

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Plate Stiffness and Compliance

We already know the stress strain
relationships for a single ply

12 Q e 12
k
k
k
xy Q e xy
k

x Q11

y Q12
Q
xy 16
k

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Q12
Q 22
Q 26

Q16

Q 26
Q 66

ex

ey
g
xy

Laminate Stiffness and Compliance

Substitute plate stiffness relationships into
laminate stress and moment resultant
equations in terms of strains and curvatures
N x A11 A12 A16 B11 B12 B16 e 0 x
0
N

A
A
A
B
B
B
e
y
y
12
22
26
12
22
26

N xy A16 A 26 A 66 B16 B 26 B66 g 0 xy

M
x B11 B12 B16 D11 D12 D16 x
M y B12 B22 B26 D12 D 22 D 26 y

M xy B16 B26 B66 D16 D 26 D 66 xy

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

A-B and D matrices

N

A ij Q ij k (z k z k 1 )
k 1

1 N
Bij Q ij k (z 2 k z 2 k 1 )
2 k 1

1 N
3
3
D ij Q ij k (z k z k 1 )
3 k 1
where i,j =1,2,6
zk is the coordinate of the top and bottom of ply surface

18 Constants

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

A-B-D Matrices (part 2)

Coefficients Aij, Bij, Dij are functions of
thickness, orientation, stacking sequence
and material properties of each layer
[A] =in-plane stiffness matrix
[B] = bending-extension coupling matrix
[D] =bending stiffness matrix
(B=0 if laminate is symmetric wrt mid-plane)

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Coupling of Different Loads

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Section 6.2 pg. 142

Stresses within Plies

Several steps involved
1) Calculate strains through the thickness from
stress and moment resultants
2) Convert strains to material coordinate system
3) Calculate stresses within each ply in material
coordinate system
IMPORTANT: We cannot simply transform from
exy to xy using Q because
may be several plies with different fiber orientations
strain can vary with thickness if is nonzero

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Stresses within Plies (2)

Calculate Strains Through Thickness

e
N
F
M

o
e e z
o

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Stresses within Plies (3)

Convert Strains to Material Coordinates

e12 [R][T][R] exy

1

Calculate Stresses within Each Ply

12 [Q]e12
ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Steps:

Given Material Properties, Stiffness matrix [Q] can be calculated.

Calculate [Q]
Calculate the [A], [B], [D], and [H] matrices.
Calculate mid-surface strains, curvatures, and interlaminar shear
strains.
Once these are known, the strains at any point through the thickness
of the plate can be determined.
The stress at any point throughout the plate can then be determined.

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Given Material Properties, Stiffness matrix [Q] can be
calculated using 5.23. (pg. 114)

E1 / 12 E 2 / 0

[Q] 12 E 2 / E 2 /
0
0
0
G12

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
[Q]bar can then be calculated using 5.48 or 5.49. (pg. 123)
5.48

5.49

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses

The [A], [B], [D], and [H] matrices can be calculated using 6.16.
(pg. 138)

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Calculate mid-surface strains, curvatures, and interlaminar shear strains
using 6.17. (pg. 139)

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
The strains at any point through the thickness of the plate can be
determined using 6.20. (pg. 142)

e x e0 x x
0
e y e y z y
g g 0 xy
xy xy
strains mid

in
surface zcurvatures
plate strains

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
The stress at any point throughout the plate can be determined using 6.21.
(pg. 143)

12 Q e 12
k
k
k
xy Q e xy
k

x Q11 Q12 Q16 e x

y Q12 Q 22 Q 26 e y
Q Q Q g
26
66 xy
xy 16
k

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2
Compute the stresses at the bottom surface of a single-layer
plate subjected to Mx = 1. The plate thickness is t = 0.635 mm
and the material properties are given in example 5.1. The
fiber direction coincides with the global x-axis.

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2
From Example 5.1:

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2
Shear forces = 0
Inplane forces = 0
Plate is symmetric
Therefore:
[H] = 0
[A] = 0

[B] = 0

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2
To determine the [D] matrix:
Use (6.16)
Where zk = t/2, zk-1 = -t/2
[D] = [Q] (0.02134)

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

(6.16)

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2

Compute [d] bending compliance) from [D] to determine curvature:

Where; [d] = [D]-1

Symmetry allows (6.17) to be separated into (6.18) and (6.19)

6.19

Using (6.19) to determine the curvatures:

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2
To determine strains at the bottom layer (z = -t/2):
Use (6.20)

e x e0 x x
0
e y e y z y
g g 0 xy
xy xy
strains mid

in
surface zcurvatures
plate strains

(6.20)

Midplane strains = 0
Therefore:
=

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

Computation of Stresses
Example 6.2
Finally The stresses at the bottom
surface can be determined using 6.21
Since:
q=0
[Q] = [Q]

k12 Qk ek12
k
k xy Q ek xy
k

Where e is a very small value

ME429: Int. to Composite Materials

x Q11 Q12 Q16 e x

Q
Q
Q
y 12
22
26 e y
Q Q Q g
26
66 xy
xy 16