A Method for Tensile Strength Prediction of Composite Laminates

From the perspective of engineering application, a method to predict the tensile strength of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) was proposed using classical laminate theory and the theory of function of a complex variable. In the method, the influence of defects in the manufacturing process of composite laminates on the tensile strength was considered. The tensile strength of arbitrarily lay-up composite laminate with the same composite material and the same molding process was predicted by the modulus and strength of unidirectional lamina and ultimate strength of a laminate. The method was used to calculate the tensile strength of 5 kinds of composite material systems and 25 types of laminates. The predictions of the present approach were compared to test results. The research indicated that the calculated results were in good agreement with experimental results. Two assumptions about defect treatment of composite laminates can be established. Owing to the current strength theories of composite materials were relatively complicated, the study provided a simple and efficient way to predict the tensile strength of composite laminates for composite structure design.