MTRL 494 (3) Composite Materials

2023W Term 2 (Jan-Apr 2024)

Assignment #4 Revised: 2022 Mar 23; 2022 Dec 28, 2023 Mar 29

MTRL 494 – Assignment #4

Please submit through Canvas no later than:
April 14th,2024, 11:59 pm. Solutions will be posted on April 16th.
50% marks will be deducted for late submissions.
Zero marks will be given after the solutions are posted.

1) Consider an angle lamina under a biaxial stress condition as shown below. Calculate and draw failure
stress, 𝜎𝑥 , as a function of angle, θ. Use Max Stress theory with the following critical values (do not use
software for this example):

2) For the angle lamina shown below, calculate and draw failure envelope for the biaxial stress condition.
Use max stress theory and properties given in previous example (do not use software for this example).

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MTRL 494 Composite Materials
3) Consider a [0/60/-60]S laminate made of AS4-8552. Use the LPT spreadsheet to calculate the ply
stresses when the laminate is subjected to the following in-plane load case:

𝑁𝑥 P
{ 𝑁𝑦 } = {0}
𝑁𝑥𝑦 0

Use the maximum stress failure criterion to determine the load P that will cause first ply failure,
determine the mode of failure, and identify the ply where the failure occurs. Assume thickness of each
ply is 0.125 mm. (Hint: assume P=1 and follow the approach from the lecture notes)

4) Consider a beam with a rectangular cross section of width 100 mm, under bending and in-plane shear:

You are to design a laminate of layup [0//-/90]s, where your choice of theta should lead to
– Maximum beam deflection < 2 mm
– Maximum in-plane deflection < 1 mm

Use the LPT spreadsheet on CANVAS. For bending use the bending solution provided. For in-plane
shear, write out the shear deformation in terms of the shear strain and geometry. In turn, relate the
shear strain to the applied shear force via LPT, and use the spreadsheet to calculate the relevant
properties for the candidate laminates.

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MTRL 494 Composite Materials
Material is AS4/8552:

0°
Properties
EL 135.1 GPa
ET 9.633 GPa
LT 0.2987
TL 0.02129813 0.02129813
GLT 4.956 GPa
t 0.125 mm

Describe your laminate selection process.

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MTRL 494 Composite Materials