Macro Mechanical Analysis of a Composite Lamina

Chapter Objectives Develop stressstrain relationships for different types of materials. Develop stressstrain relationships for a unidirectional/bidirectional lamina. Find the engineering constants of a unidirectional/bidirectional lamina in terms of the stiffness and compliance parameters of the lamina. Develop stressstrain relationships, elastic moduli, strengths, and thermal and moisture expansion coefficients of an angle ply based on those of a unidirectional/bidirectional lamina and the angle of the ply.
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2.3 Hookes Law for Different Types of Materials The stressstrain relationship for a general material that is linearly elastic but not Isotropic (i.e. anisotropic) is more complicated. The most general stressstrain relationship is given as below for a three-dimensional body in a 123 Orthogonal Cartesian coordinate system where the 6 6 [C] matrix is called the Material stiffness matrix. The stiffness matrix has 36 Elastic constants. What happens if one changes the system of coordinates from an orthogonal system 123 to some another orthogonal system, 123? Then, the new stiffness constants will be required to relate stresses and strains in the new coordinate system 1 23. However, the new stiffness and compliance matrices in the 123 system will be a function of the stiffness matrices in the 123 system

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and the angle between the axes of the 123 system and the 123 system:

(2.25)

Inverting Equation (2.25), the general strainstress relationship for a three dimensional body in a 123 Orthogonal Cartesian coordinate system would be:

For the case of an isotropic material, by relating the strainstress equation for an Isotropic Material (i.e. equation 2.17 reproduced below) to Equation (2.26), one finds that the compliance matrix elements are related directly to engineering-constants as:

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And, Sij, other than explicitly displayed, are zero. It can be shown that the 36 constants in Equation (2.25) actually reduce to 21 constants due to the symmetry of the material stiffness matrix [C]. (This follows from the relationship between the stress-strain relations and the strain energy density function; (See Chapter 2 in the Text Book by Kawa for the proof). This also implies that only 21 independent constants are in the general stiffness matrix [C] and compliance matrix [S].

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2.3.1 Anisotropic Material. The material that has 21 independent elastic constants at a point is called an anisotropic material. Once these constants are found at a particular point, the stress-strain relationship can be developed at that point. Note that these constants can vary from point to point if the material is non-homogeneous. Even if the material is homogeneous (or assumed to be one), one needs to find these 21 elastic constants analytically or experimentally. However, many natural and synthetic materials do possess material symmetry that is, elastic properties are identical in directions of symmetry about the symmetric planes because symmetry this exists material in the internal material the structure. number of Consequently, symmetry reduces

independent elastic constants by zeroing out or relating some of the constants in the 6 6 material stiffness and compliance matrices. This simplifies the latter material matrix relationships for various types of elastic symmetry as discussed below: 2.3.2 Monoclinic Material If one plane of material symmetry exists for example plane 1-2 with direction-3 as its normal direction, Figure 2.11 then, the material stiffness matrix reduces to Eqn. (2.35), since, from symmetry requirements,

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C14 = 0, C15 = 0, C24 = 0, C25 = 0, C 34 = 0, C35 = 0 , C46 = 0, and C56 = 0 (i.e. any elastic constant involving the indices 4 or 5 relating the shearing strain components would be zero).This is so because, the corresponding shearing strains which reverse the sign at the symmetric points on either side of the symmetric plane (0, 0, +z and 0, 0,-z) would violate the symmetric condition. The direction perpendicular to the plane of symmetry is called the Principal Direction. Note that there are 13 independent elastic constants for monoclinic materials. Feldspar is an example of a monoclinic material. The corresponding compliance matrix reduces to:

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2.3.3 Orthotropic Material If a material has three mutually perpendicular planes of material symmetry, then the material is referred to as Three-Dimensional Orthotropic Material. Then the stiffness matrix would be given by:

The preceding stiffness matrix can be derived by starting from the stiffness matrix [C] for the monoclinic material (Equation 2.35) where two more planes of symmetry would lead to: C16 = 0, C26 = 0, C36 = 0 and C45 = 0. Three mutually perpendicular planes of material symmetry also imply three mutually perpendicular directions of elastic symmetry. Note that 9-independent elastic constants are present for such a material. This is a commonly-found material symmetry unlike anisotropic and monoclinic materials. Examples for an orthotropic material include a single lamina of continuous composite fiber arranged in a rectangular array (Figure 2.13), a wooden bar, and rolled steel etc.

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The compliance matrix for 3-D Orthotropic Material reduces to:

2.3.4 Transversely Isotropic Material Consider a plane of material isotropy in one of the planes of an orthotropic body. If direction-1 is normal to that plane (23) of isotropy, then the stiffness matrix is given by:

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The Transverse isotropy results in the following relations:

Note the five independent elastic constants. An example of this is a thin unidirectional lamina in which the fibers are arranged in a square array or a hexagonal array. One may consider the elastic properties in the two directions perpendicular to the fibers to be the same. In Figure 2.15, the fibers are in direction 1, so plane 23 will be considered as the plane of isotropy. The compliance matrix also reduces to:

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2.3.5 Isotropic Material If all planes in an orthotropic body are identical, it is an isotropic material; then, the stiffness matrix is given by:

Isotropy results in the following additional relationships:

This also implies innite principal planes of symmetry. Note the two independent constants. This is the most common material symmetry available. Examples of isotropic bodies include Steel, Iron, and Aluminium and many others. Relating Equation (2.43) to Equation (2.18) reproduced from Kawa Text, Chapter 2, pp.77 below: results in:

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Where Eqn. (18) is given as:

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The compliance matrix reduces to:

The number of independent elastic constants for various types of materials is listed below: 1. Anisotropic Material : 21Elastic constants 2. Monoclinic Material: 13 Elastic constants 3. Orthotropic Material: 9 Elastic constants 4. Transversely isotropic Material: 5 Elastic constants 5. Isotropic Material: 2 Elastic constants We shall study the example problem 2.5 solved in the Kawa Text:

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