ABSTRACT
Experiments were performed for orthotropic composite laminates containing an elliptical opening under tensile loading. Based on the point stress failure model and the average stress failure model, a modified model is presented that expresses the characteristic damage zone size as a function of the opening length and opening aspect ratio. A modification is made for the point stress and the average stress failure models. This modified model takes into account the opening size and the physical opening aspect ratio so that the notched strength of orthotropic laminates with either a circular hole, an elliptical opening or a crack can be predicted by a single closed-form solution. An experimental program, for the tensile notched strength of orthotropic laminates containing a circular hole, an elliptical opening and a center crack, was conducted. The data were utilized to check the point stress and the average stress failure model.
