Failure mode analysis of laminated composite sandwich plate.

Failure mode prediction of laminated composite sandwich plates is presented using improved higher order shear deformation theory (IHSDT) mathematical model and its C0 finite element (FE) implementation in FORTRAN. The proposed 2D IHSDT satisfies the inter-laminar shear stress continuity at each adjacent layer and nil transverse shear stress conditions at top and bottom of the plate are imposed. The parabolic shear stress variation is piecewise across thickness of each layer; hence no need of shear correction factors. The possible modes of failures are transverse matrix cracking, fiber breakage and inter-fiber shear failure of the matrix. The failure mode along with its location for laminated composite sandwich plates are obtained and are found in good agreement with the available 3D elasticity results. • Failure analysis of laminated composite sandwich plate is done first time by IHSDT. • The efficient C0 finite element modeling based on IHSDT is coded in FORTRAN. • Present 2D IHSDT results are quite close to 3D elasticity results. • Present model predicts better transverse shear stresses than HSDT/FSDT. • Failure results laminated composite sandwich plates may be useful for designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]