Interaction of damage failure and post-buckling behaviour of composite plates with cut-outs by progressive damage modelling

A progressive damage model capable of predicting the interaction effects between the post-buckling behaviour and the various failure modes of composite plates is developed. The analysis is based on a three-dimensional, progressive damage finite element model and comprises stress analysis, failure analysis and material properties degradation modules. The model is presently applied on a compressively loaded open-hole layered plate. It is shown that plate buckling, when it occurs at the initial stages of the plate loading, influences significantly the evolution of the various failure types in the post-buckling region. In addition, when the plate buckles at relatively higher loading, the damage failures may influence the buckling load. The effect of the failure criteria, as well as the material properties degradation rules on the prediction of plate behaviour is investigated. The numerical prediction results correlate very well with published experimental results.