The hole-bearing behavior of laminated composites under double-shear tension and pin-crush loading

Abstract

The bearing performance of holes in laminated composite materials is a critical research area due to their increasing use in aerospace and structural applications. This study investigates the mechanical behavior of hole-bearing in laminated composites, focusing on failure mechanisms, load distribution, and the influence of laminate stacking sequences on bearing performance. Finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental testing were used to examine stress concentration around the hole. Additionally, the digital image correlation (DIC) method was employed to monitor the strain field in the pin-bearing zone during the pin-crush test. Results indicate that fiber orientation significantly affects load-bearing capacity, with notable differences between unidirectional (UD) and cross-ply (XP) laminates. A comparison between double-shear tensile loading and pin crush loading for XP and UD samples with 16 plies reveals distinct differences in load-bearing capacity and failure behavior. In the tensile test, XP-16 samples exhibited a gradual increase in load, reaching a peak of approximately 14 kN, followed by a gradual decline. Conversely, the pin-crush test resulted in a lower peak load of 9 kN and exhibited more catastrophic failure, characterized by a sudden drop in load. In contrast, UD samples displayed similar behavior under both loading conditions, with differences observed only at peak load values.

Keywords

• fiber reinforced composites
• hole bearing
• finite element analysis (FEA)
• Hashin’s failure theory

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