The prediction of accurate failure strength and a composite laminate failure load is of paramount importance for reliable design. The progressive failure analysis helps to predict the ultimate failure strength of the laminate, which is more than the first ply failure (FPF) strength. The presence of a hole in the laminate plate results in stress concentration, which affects the failure strength. The purpose of the current work is to analyze the stress variation and progressive failure of a symmetric laminated plate containing elliptical cutouts under in-plane tensile loading. The effect of various parameters on FPF and last ply failure (LPF) strength is studied.
The ply-by-ply stresses around elliptical cutouts are obtained analytically using Muskhelishvili's complex variable formulation. To predict the progressive failure, Tsai–Hill (T-H) and Tsai–Wu (T-W) failure criteria are used, and depending on the mode of failure, lamina modulus is degraded.
The study has revealed that fiber orientation and stacking sequence for given loading have the most significant effect on the laminate's failure strength.
Complex variable method and conformal mapping are simple and proficient for studying failure analysis of a laminated plate with elliptical cutout.
