Analysis of multiple cracks in laminate composites under anti‐plane static loads

Abstract

A B S T R A C T This paper investigates multiple cracking of a laminate composite subjected to anti-plane loads. The laminate composite is made up of a central layer sandwiched between two layers of different properties. There is a periodic array of cracks in the central layer along the central axis of the medium. A singular integral equation is formulated in terms of the crack-face displacement. The model developed is applied to the analysis of fibre multiple cracking in fibre-matrix laminate composites. It is also applied to the analysis of matrix cracking in fibre-matrix laminate composites. Numerical results have been given for the effects of crack spacing and constituent volume fraction on the crack tip field intensity factor and stress.