CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

ABBREVIATION

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION

6-7

1.2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

8-10

1.3 AIM AND SCOPE

11

2. COMPOSITE MATERIAL
2.1 INTRODUCTION

13-15

2.2 TYPES OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL

15

2.3 BENEFITS OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL

16

2.4 COMPOSITES IN INDUSTRY

16

3. THEORETICAL FORMULATION
3.1 THEORY OF BENDING OF THIN PLATES

18

3.2 BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF ELASTIC PLATE BENDING

19

3.3 BUCKLING OF COMPOSITE PLATE

20

3.4 CALCULATION OF BUCKLING LOAD FACTOR

21

3.5 CALCULATION OF YOUNG'S MODULUS OF ELASTICITY

22

4. NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
4.1 BUILD THE MODEL

38-43

4.2 SOLUTION (STATIC ANALYSIS)

44

4.3 EIGEN BUCKLING ANALYSIS

45

4.4 POST PROCESSOR

45

5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5.1 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

48-61

5.2 MODEL CALCULATION

62

6. CONCLUSION
6.1 CONCLUSION

64

6.2 FUTURE SCOPE OF WORK

65

REFERENCES

LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. no. 1. Classification of matrices

15

Fig. no. 2. Thin plate notation

18

Fig. no. 3. Various case for analysis

23

Fig. no. 4. Stress vs strain curve 0%,5%,10%,15%,20% mixing

26-36

Fig. no. 5. Element geometry of thin layer shell 99

38

Fig. no. 6. Meshing of rectangular plate

39

Fig. no. 7. Loading and boundary condition

40

Fig. no. 8. Nodal solution

41

Fig. no. 9. Meshing of rectangular plate with circular cut-out

42

Fig. no. 10. Meshing of laminated composite plate with central

43-44

cut-out having multiple holes

Fig. no. 11. Deform and un-deform shape of composite plate

45

Fig. no. 12. Contour plot of buckled laminated composite plate

46

Fig. no. 13. Buckling load vs % of B4C

50

Fig. no. 14. Laminated composite plate of square cut-out

51-52

Fig. no. 15. Buckling load vs d/w ratio

55-56

Fig. no. 16. Buckling load vs d1/d ratio

58-61

LIST OF TABLES
Table no. 1. Material properties of Al356+B4C mixture

24

Table no. 2. Stress strain analysis of Al356 without B4C

25

Table no. 3. Stress strain analysis of Al356 with 5% B4C.

27

Table no. 4.Stress strain analysis of Al356 with 10%B4C

29

Table no. 5. Stress strain analysis of Al356 with 15% B4C

31

Table no. 6. Stress strain analysis of Al356 with20% B4C

33

Table no. 7. Analysis of buckling load with varying % of B4C

49

Table no. 8. Analysis of buckling load of square cut-out with varying a/w ratio

53

Table no. 9. Analysis of buckling load of circular cut-outs varying d/w ratio

54

Table no. 10. Analysis of buckling load of circular cut-out varying d1/d ratio

57

ABBREVIATION

Symbols

Abbreviation

Poisson's Ratio

Stress

Strain

Elastic Constant

Volume Fraction

Reinforcement

Metal

Diameter of hole

Length of Rectangular Plate

Width of plate

CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION
In many engineering structures such as columns, beams, or plates, their failure develops not
only from excessive stresses but also from buckling. Only rectangular thin plates are
considered in the present study. When a flat plate is subjected to low in-plane compressive
loads, it remains flat and is in equilibrium condition. As the magnitude of the in-plane
compressive load increases, however, the equilibrium configuration of the plate is eventually
changed to a non-flat configuration and the plate becomes unstable. The magnitude of the
compressive load at which the plate becomes unstable is called the critical buckling load.

A composite

material consist of two or more materials and offers a significant

weight saving in structures in view of its high strength to weight and high stiffness to weight
ratios. Further, in a fibrous composite, the mechanical properties can be varied as
required by suitably orienting the fibres. In such material the fibres are the main load
bearing members, and the matrix, which has low modulus and high elongation,
provides the necessary flexibility and also keeps the fibres in position and protect them from
the environment.

Development of new applications and new composites is accelerating due to the

requirement of

materials with unusual combination of properties that cannot be met

by conventional materials. Actually, composite materials are capable of covering this

requirement in all means because of their heterogeneous nature.

Properties of composite

arise as a function of its constituent materials, their distribution and the interaction
among them and as a result an unusual combination of material properties can be obtained.

Laminated

composites

applications

due

Fiber-reinforced
thin

to

are

their

gaining

wider

high

specific

are

used

composites

use

in

stiffness

extensively

mechanical
and
in

high
the

and

specific

form

of

aerospace
strength.
relatively

plate, and consequently the load carrying capability of composite plate against

buckling has been intensively considered by researchers under various loading and
boundary conditions. Due
composites

have

been

to

the

excellent

receiving more

stiffness

attention

from

and

weight

engineers,

characteristics,
scientists,

and

designers. During operation the composite laminate plates are commonly subjected to
compression

loads

that

may

cause

buckling

if overloaded. Hence their buckling

behaviours are important factors in safe and reliable design of these structures.

This work deals with buckling analysis of symmetrically and laminated composite plates
under clamped -free clamped- free boundary condition. The effects on buckling load by cut
out size, length/thickness ratio, ply orientation, and length/breadth ratio are investigated.

1.2 Review of Literature

Reinforced composites are used extensively in the form of relatively thin plate, and
consequently the load carrying capability of composite plate against buckling has been
intensively considered by researchers under various loading and boundary conditions. Thus
far, there have been numerous studies on the fabric woven composite laminated structures
which find widespread applications in many engineering fields namely aerospace,
biomedical, civil, marine and mechanical engineering because of their ease of handling, good
mechanical properties and low fabrication cost. They also possess excellent damage tolerance
and impact resistance.
The initial theoretical research into elastic flexural- torsional buckling was preceded by
Eulers (1759) treatise on column flexural buckling, which gave the first analytical method of
predicting the reduced strengths of slender columns, and by Saint-Venants 1855 memoir on
uniform torsion, which gave the first reliable description of the twisting response of members
to torsion. However, it was not until 1899 that the first treatments were published of flexuraltorsional buckling by Michell and Prandtl, who considered the lateral buckling of beams of
narrow rectangular cross-section. Their work was extended by Timoshenko to include the
effects of warping torsion in I-section beams. Most recently the invention of high-speed
electronic computers exerted a considerable influence on the static and dynamic analysis of
plates.

Chen and Bert (1976) investigated optimal design of simply supported rectangular plates
laminated to composite material and subjected to uniaxial compressive loading. Numerical
results are presented for optimal-design plates laminated of glass/epoxy, boron/epoxy, and
carbon/epoxy composite materials.
Linear elastic buckling of plates that are subjected to in-plane forces is a problem of great
practical importance that has been extensively researched over the past 60 years. Elastic
instability of flat rectangular plates became an important research area when the design of the
lightweight airframes was introduced. Fok (1984), has been applied the theory of thin plates
to engineering structures. Some advantages of thin-walled structures are high strength
coupled with the ease of manufacturing and the relative low weight. However, thin-walled

structures have the characteristic of susceptibility of failure by instability or buckling. It is

therefore important to the design engineer that accurate methods are available to determine
the critical buckling strength.
Laminated plates with strip-type delamination under pure bending were investigated
analytically and experimentally by Yeh and Fang (1997). In the analysis, a two dimensional
nonlinear finite element code based on updated lagrangian formulation was developed to
analyze the bending behaviour of the laminated plates and the local buckling phenomenon of
the sub laminates in the delaminated region. The formulation includes large displacements
and large rotations needed to describe the local buckling phenomenon of the delaminated
region.

Radu and Chattopadhyay (2000) used a refined higher order shear deformation theory to
investigate the dynamic instability associated with composite plates with delamination that
are subject to dynamic compressive loads. Both transverse shear and rotary inertia effects are
taken into account. The theory is capable of modelling the independent displacement field
above and below the delamination. All stress free boundary conditions at free surfaces as well
as delamination interfaces are satisfied by this theory. The procedure is implemented using
the finite element method.
Hwang and Mao (2001) conducted the non-linear buckling and post-buckling analyses to predict
the delamination buckling load and delamination growth load. In order to predict the
delamination growth load, the total strain-energy release rate criterion, criterion of strain-energy
release rate component, and inter laminar-stress criterion are used. Experimental results are also
provided to compare with the prediction.

A procedure for determining the buckling load of the aluminium rectangular plate is
presented by Supasak and Singhatanadgid(2002) .Buckling load of aluminum rectangular
plates are determined using four different techniques, i.e. (1) a plot of applied load vs. outof-plane displacement, (2) a plot of applied load vs. end shortening, (3) a plot of applied load
vs. average in-plane strain, and(4)the Southwell plot. In this study, buckling loads determined
from different experiment methods were compared with the theoretical buckling loads.

Wang and Lu (2003) was carried out an investigation to understand the buckling behaviour of
local delamination near the surface of fiber reinforced laminated plates under mechanical and
thermal loads. The shape of the delaminated region considered is rectangular and triangular.
The displacement expression is composed of items with the effect of tension-shear coupling
and the effect of bend-torsion coupling. The critical strains of laminated plates with various
shaped local delamination and different stacking patterns are obtained by making use of the
energy principle.
Shukla and Kreuzer (2005) proposed a formulation based on the first-order shear deformation
theory and von-Karman-type nonlinearity to estimates the critical/buckling loads of laminated
composite rectangular plates under in-plane uniaxial and biaxial loadings. Different
combinations of simply supported, clamped and free boundary conditions are considered. The
effects of plate aspect ratio, lamination scheme, number of layers and material properties on
the critical loads are studied.
Buket Okutan Baba (2007) studied the influence of boundary conditions on the buckling load
for rectangular plates. Boundary conditions consisting of clamped, pinned, and their
combinations are considered. Numerical and experimental studies are conducted to
investigate the effect of boundary conditions, length/thickness ratio, and ply orientation on
the buckling behaviour of E-glass/epoxy composite plates under in-plane compression load.
Buckling analysis of the laminated composites is performed by using finite element analysis
software ANSYS. Tests have been carried out on laminated composites with circular and
semicircular cut-outs under various boundary conditions. Comparisons are made between the
test results and predictions based on finite element analysis.

Murat Yazici (2008) studied the influence of square cut-out upon the buckling stability of
multilayered, steel woven fiber-reinforced polypropylene thermoplastic matrix composite
plates are studied by using numerical method. The laminated plates under uniform pressure
are formed by stacking three composite layers bonded symmetrically. The FE and
experimental results are presented for various fiber orientation angles and plate boundary
conditions.

10

1.3 Aim and scope of study

Thus far, there have been numerous studies on the composite laminated structures
which find widespread applications in many engineering fields namely aerospace,
biomedical, civil, marine and mechanical engineering because of their ease of handling,
good mechanical properties and low fabrication cost. They also possess excellent damage
tolerance and impact resistance.

From the literature, it is evident that most of the studies are based on the numerical
approach. Less attention has been paid on the buckling of composite plates. Due to
the practical requirements, cutouts are often required in structural components

due to

functional requirements, to produce lighter and more efficient structures. Most stability
studies of composite plates with cutout have focused on square plates under simply
supported conditions to minimize the mathematical complexities.

11

CHAPTER-2

COMPOSITE MATERIAL

12

2.1 COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Mankind has been aware composite materials since several hundred years before Christ and
applied innovation to improve the quality of life. Although it is not clear has to how Man
understood the fact that mud bricks made sturdier houses if lined with straw, he used them to
make buildings that lasted. Ancient Pharaohs made their slaves use bricks with to straw to
enhance the structural integrity of their buildings, some of which testify to wisdom of the
dead civilization even today. Contemporary composites results from research and innovation
from past few decades have progressed from glass fibre for automobile bodies to particulate
composites for aerospace and a range other applications.

Ironically, despite the growing familiarity with composite materials and ever-increasing
range of applications, the term defines a clear definition. Loose terms like materials
composed of two or more distinctly identifiable constituents are used to describe natural
composites like timber, organic materials, like tissue surrounding the skeletal system, soil
aggregates, minerals and rock.

Composites that forms heterogeneous structures which meet the requirements of specific
design and function, imbued with desired properties which limit the scope for classification.
However, this lapse is made up for, by the fact new types of composites are being innovated
all the time, each with their own specific purpose like the filled, flake, particulate and laminar
composites.

Fibres or particles embedded in matrix of another material would be the best example of
modern-day composite materials, which are mostly structural.

Laminates are composite material where different layers of materials give them the specific
character of a composite material having a specific function to perform. Fabrics have no
matrix to fall back on, but in them, fibers of different compositions combine to give them a
specific character. Reinforcing materials generally withstand maximum load and serve the
desirable properties.

13

Further, though composite types are often distinguishable from one another, no clear
determination can be really made. To facilitate definition, the accent is often shifted to the
levels at which differentiation take place viz., microscopic or macroscopic.

In matrix-based structural composites, the matrix serves two paramount purposes viz.,
binding the reinforcement phases in place and deforming to distribute the stresses among the
constituent reinforcement materials under an applied force. The demands on matrices are
many. They may need to temperature variations, be conductors or resistors of electricity, have
moisture sensitivity etc. This may offer weight advantages, ease of handling and other merits
which may also become applicable depending on the purpose for which matrices are chosen.

Solids that accommodate stress to incorporate other constituents provide strong bonds for the
reinforcing phase are potential matrix materials. A few inorganic materials, polymers and
metals have found applications as matrix materials in the designing of structural composites,
with commendable success.

These materials remain elastic till failure occurs and show decreased failure strain, when
loaded in tension and compression.

Composites cannot be made from constituents with divergent linear expansion characteristics.
The interface is the area of contact between the reinforcement and the matrix materials. In
some cases, the region is a distinct added phase. Whenever there is interphase, there has to be
two interphases between each side of the interphase and its adjoint constituent. Some
composites provide interphases when surfaces dissimilar constituents interact with each
other. Choice of fabrication method depends on matrix properties and the effect of matrix on
properties of reinforcements. One of the prime considerations in the selection and fabrication
of composites is that the constituents should be chemically inert non-reactive. Figure 1 helps
to classify matrices.

14

Fig no.1: Classification of Matrices

2.2 Types of Composite Materials

Polymer matrix materials

Metal matrix materials

Ceramic matrix materials

Carbon matrices

Glass matrices

Reinforcements

Fibre reinforcements

Laminar composites

Whiskers

Flake composites

Filled composites

Particulate composites

Cermets

Microspheres

15

2.3 Benefits of Composites

1. Stronger and stiffer than metals on a density basis
2. Capable of high continuous operating temperatures
3. Highly corrosion resistant
4. Electrically insulating/ conducting/ selectively conducting properties
5. Tailorable thermal expansion properties
6. Exceptional formability
7. Outstanding durability
8. High resistance to impact damage
9. Composites are dimensionally stable i.e. they have low thermal conductivity and low
coefficient of thermal expansion.

2.4 Composites in the Industry

By the broadest definition, a composite material is one in which two or more materials that
are different are combined to form a single structure with an identifiable interface. The
properties of that new structure are dependant upon the properties of the constituent materials
as well as the properties of the interface. Additionally, where metal alloys have isotropic
characteristics, composites can have very selective directional properties to meet specific
application needs. Composites used for typical engineering applications are advanced fiber or
laminated composites, such as fiberglass, glass epoxy, graphite epoxy, and boron epoxy.
ANSYS allows us to model composite materials with specialized elements called layered
elements. One can perform any structural analysis (including nonlinearities such as large
deflection and stress stiffening).

16

CHAPTER-3

THEORETICAL FORMULATION

17

3.1 THEORETICAL FORMULATION

The buckling of a plate involves two planes, namely, xz,yz and two boundary conditions on
each edge of the plate. The basic difference between plate and column lies in the buckling
characteristics. The column, once it buckles, cannot resist any additional axial load. Thus, the
critical load of the column is also its failure load. On the other hand, a plate, since it is
invariably supported at the edges, continues to resist the additional axial load even after the
primary buckling load is reached and does not fail even when the load reaches a value 10-15
times the buckling load.
Theory of bending of thin plates
The theory for thin plates is similar to the theory for beams. In pure bending of beams, "the
stress distribution is obtained by assuming that cross-sections of the bar remain plane during
bending and rotate only with respect to their neutral axes so as to be always normal to the
deflection curve." For a thin plate, bending in two perpendicular directions occur. A
rectangular plate element is shown below:

Thin plate notation

(Courtesy: Composite Materials by Madhujit Mukhopadhyay)
Fig no. - 2

18

3.2 The Basic Assumptions of Elastic Plate Bending Are:

1. Perfectly flat plate and of uniform thickness.

2. The thickness of the plate is small compared with other dimensions. For plate bending, the
thickness, t, is less than or equal to of the smallest width of the plate. For plate buckling
equations, the thickness, t, should be 1/10 of the smallest width of the plate.

3. Deflections are small, i.e., smaller or equal to 1/2 of the thickness.

4. The middle plane of the plate does not elongate during bending and remains a neutral
surface.

5. The lateral sides of the differential element, in the above figure, remain plane during
bending and rotate only to be normal to the deflection surface. Therefore, the stresses and
strains are proportional to their distance from the neutral surface.

6. The bending and twisting of the plate element resist the applied loads. The effect of
shearing forces is neglected.

19

3.3 Buckling of composite plate

Composite materials consist of two or more materials which together produce desirable
properties that cannot be achieved with any of the constituents alone. Fiber-reinforced
composite materials, for example , contain high strength and high modulus fibers are the
principal load carrying members, and the matrix material keeps the fibers together, act as a
load-transfer medium between fibers from being exposed to the environment. The lay up
sequence of unidirectionally reinforced plies" as indicated in Fig.1. Each ply is typically a
thin (approximately 0.2 mm) sheet of collimated fibers impregnated with an uncured epoxy
or other thermosetting polymer matrix material. The orientation of each ply is arbitrary, and
the layup sequence is tailored to achieve the properties desired of the laminate.

Fibre reinforced composite materials for structural applications are made in the form of a thin
layer, called lamina. A lamina is a macro unit of material whose material properties are
determined through appropriate laboratory tests. Structural elements such as bars, beams and
plates are then formed by stacking the layers to achieve desired strength and stiffness. Fibre
orientation in each lamina and stacking sequence of the layers can be chosen to achieve
desired strength and stiffness.

20

3.4 Calculation of Buckling Load factor

Buckling Load factor is a non dimensional term & is mathematically calculated by the
following relation:

B.L.F= (Nx.b2)/ (E2.h3)...(1)

Where Nx= Buckling load / unit length (N/m)

b= Width of the plate (m)

E2= Modulus of elasticity in transverse direction (N/m2)

h= Total thickness of the plate (m)

21

3.5 Calculation of Young's Modulus of Elasticity

E = (Er*Vr)+(Em*Vm) ...................................................(2)

E =Elastic Constant of composite material

Er =Elastic constant of reinforcement material

Vr =Volume fraction of reinforcement material

Em =Elastic constant of the metal matrix

Vm =Volume fraction of the metal matrix

22

Various case for Analysis

Rectangular Plates with

Varying d/w ratio

Rectangular Plates with

Varying aspect ratio

Rectangular Plates with

varying a/w ratio

Rectangular Plates with

varying d1/d ratio

Fig no.-3

23

Material Properties of Al356 + B4C Mixture

S. No.

%B4C

Experimental Results

Theoretical Results

% Error

E=67.5GPa
= 300.4 (MPa)
=.23

E=71GPa
= 310.4(MPa)
=.2

6%

5%

E=86GPa
321MPa
=.21

E= 91.4 GPa
=327.6 MPa
= 0.2

6%

10%

E=103GPa
= 354MPa
=.2

E= 109 Gpa
= 362MPa
= 0.2

5%

15%

E=123GPa
= 410MPa
=.2

E=129GPa
= 422MPa
=.2

4%

20%

E=140Pa
= 496MPa
=.2

E=148GPa
= 511MPa
=.2

5%

Table no.- 1

24

Stress Strain Analysis of Al356 Without B4C

(Strain)

(MPa)(Stress)

0.01

68.6

0.02

136.3

0.08

204.9

0.2

262.7

0.6

280.6

1.0

295.2

1.5

300.4

Table no.- 2

25

Fig no. - 4

26

Stress Strain Analysis of Al356 With 5% B4C Mixture

(Strain)

(MPa)(Stress)

0.01

72

0.02

140

0.08

220

0.2

270

0.6

300

320

1.5

321

Table No-3

27

Fig no.- 4.1

28

Stress Strain Analysis of Al356 With 10% B4C Mixture

(Strain)

(MPa)(Stress)

0.01

75

0.02

145

0.08

230

0.2

275

0.6

305

336

1.5

354

Table No- 4

29

Fig no.- 4.2

30

Stress Strain Analysis of Al356 With 15% B4C Mixture

(Strain)

(MPa)(Stress)

0.01

78

0.02

152

0.08

239

0.2

280

0.6

320

359

1.5

410

Table no.-5

31

Fig no.- 4.3

32

Stress Strain Analysis of Al356 With 20% B4C Mixture

(Strain)

(MPa) (Stress)

0.01

81

0.02

161

0.08

247

0.2

290

0.6

335

389

1.5

456

Table no.- 6

33

Fig no.- 4.4

34

Fig no.- 4.5

35

COMPARISION OF GRAPHS WITH VARYING % OF B4C

Stress ()

Strain()
Fig no.- 4.6

36

CHAPTER-4

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

37

4.1 NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

ANSYS 11 was used to carry out the finite element analysis in the work. ANSYS is used to
analyse the critical buckling load on carbon-fibre-epoxy laminated composite plates. The
dimension of the specimen were 300*200* 1.7mm of each layer and total number of layers in
composite plate were 6.Eigen value buckling analysis in ANSYS has following four steps:

1. Build the model: It includes defining element type, real constants, material properties and
modelling. In this study, 8 noded linear layer shell 99 was selected as the element type.

Fig no.: 5 .Element geometry of linear layer shell 99

xIJ = Element x-axis if ESYS is not supplied.

x = Element x-axis if ESYS is supplied.
LN = Layer Number
NL = Total Number of Layers

38

Case-1
A composite plate having six laminae with dimensions (l*b*t). Nature of buckling load with
respect to aspect ratio. is studied. Here Aspect ratio varies from 1.0 to 5.0. Where l, b, t are
the length, width & thickness of the plate respectively.

Meshing of rectangular plate

Fig no.- 6

39

Loading and Boundary Condition

Free edge

Uz =0

Uz =0

Free edge

Fig no.-7

40

Fig no.-8

41

Case-2
A composite plate with having six laminae with dimensions (l*b*t), and has a central circular
cut out of varying diameter, d. Here d/b ratio varies from 0 to 0.3, in the steps of 0.05. Nature
of buckling load with respect to d/b ratio was studied.

Meshing of rectangular Plate with circular cutout

Fig no.- 9

42

Case-3
A composite plate with having six laminae with dimensions (l*b*t), and has a centre hole, D
along with multiple holes of varying diameter, d. Nature of buckling load with respect to d/D
ratio was studied.

Meshing of laminated composite plate with central cutout,with multiple holes

Fig no.- 10

43

2. Solution (Static Analysis): It includes applying boundary conditions, applying loads and
solving the static analysis. The applied boundary condition and load is shown below.

Loading and Boundary Condition

Free edge

Uz =0

Uz =0

Free edge

Boundary conditions & applied compressive load

Fig no.- 10.1

44

3. Eigen buckling analysis: Eigenvalue buckling analysis predicts the theoretical buckling
strength of an ideal linear elastic structure.

4. Postprocessor: This step includes listing buckling loads and viewing buckled shapes. We can
plot the deformed and undeformed shape of the plate.

Deformed & undeformed shape of laminated composte plate

Fig no.-11

45

Contour plot of buckled laminated composite plate

Fig no.- 12

46

CHAPTER- 5

RESULTs AND DISCUSSION

47

5.1 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We have taken composite plate initially 100mm x 10 mm, consisted of six laminae ,each
having thickness 1 mm,

The buckling load for clamped- free aluminium plate determined. The results were based on
finite element analysis. The critical buckling loads obtained by ANSYS & related graph are
shown ...........

48

5.1.1 Analysis No.-1

Analysis of Buckling Load With Varying % of B4C

S.N

B4C%

Buckling Load(MPa)

72.1

72.7

10

88.0

15

104.0

20

120.0

Table no.- 7

49

Fig no.-13

50

Square cutout

5mm SIDE

Fig no.- 14

51

15 mm SIDE

Fig no.-14.1

52

5.1.2 Analysis No. 2

Analysis of Buckling Load of Square Cutouts with varying a/w Ratio

a/w Ratio
S.N.

Buckling Load(MPa) of
Square cutouts

1
0

120.0

0.1

71.3

0.2

66.4

0.3

59.9

0.4

52.0

Table no.-8

Case:2 Here we have taken a carbon fibre epoxy laminated composite plate made of 6
layer(0/45/90)s. Plate size is 100mm in length & thickness of each layer is 1mm. Aspect ratio
(width/length) is changed from 1 to 5, keeping length constant & varying width according to
aspect ratio.

53

5.1.3 Analysis no. 3

Analysis of Buckling Load of Circular Cutouts varying d/w Ratio

S.N

d/w Ratio

Buckling Load(MPa)
Circular cutouts

1
0

120.0

0.1

71.7

0.2

68.2

0.3

63.0

0.4

56.3

0.5

49.1

Table no.-9

Case: 3 Here we have taken a carbon fibre epoxy laminated composite plate, with a central
circular cutout (diameter d) made of 6 layer(0/45/90)s. Plate size is 100mm in length,10mm
in width & thickness of each layer is 1mm. d/w ratio (diameter of cutout/width) is changed
from 0 to 0.3, keeping length & width of plate constant .

54

Fig no.-15

55

Fig no.-15.1

56

5.1.4 Analysis No. 4

Analysis of Buckling Load of Circular Cutouts varying d1/d Ratio

SN

d1/d

Buckling Load(MPa)
Of Varying circular Cutouts

49.1

.1

55.9

.2

53.3

Table no.-10

Case: 3 Here we have taken a carbon fibre epoxy laminated composite plate, with a central
circular cutout (diameter d) made of 6 layer(0/45/90)s. To study the effect of stress
concentration due to cutout ,we have provided multiple small holes, near the cutout.Plate size
is 100mm in length,10mm in width & thickness of each layer is 1mm. d1/d ratio (diameter of
small multiple cutouts/diameter of central cutout)is changed from 0 to 0.35, keeping length
& width of plate constant.

57

Fig no.- 16

58

15 mm diameter

Fig no.-16.1

59

10 mm diameter

Fig no.-16.2

60

15mm dia with varying hole

6mm dia with varying hole

Fig no.-16.3
61

5.2 Model Calculation

Buckling Load Factor(B.L.F.)= (Nx.b2)/ (E2.h3) ................................................(3)

Where Nx= Buckling load / length (N/m)

b= Width of the plate (m)
E2= Modulus of elasticity in transverse direction (N/m2)
h= Total thickness of the plate (m)

Sample Calculation:
For aspect ratio (a/b) = 1, without cutout
a= Length of the plate
B.L.F. = (Nx.b2)/ (E2.h3)
= [(6.82*108)*(0.1)2] / [(10.3*1010)*(0.01)3]
= 66.21
Buckling Load = (Buckling Load/length)* length of the plate
= (Nx)*a
Buckling Load = (6.82*108)*0.1
=68200KN

62

CHAPTER- 6

CONCLUSION

63

6.1 CONCLUSION
This study considers the buckling response of laminated rectangular plates with clamped-free
boundary conditions. The laminated composite plates have varying aspect ratio, cut out shape
and effect of stress concentration. From the present analytical study, the following
conclusions can be made.
1. For a rectangular Metal Matrix composite plate with a central square cutout,the
magnitudes of the buckling loads are decreased by increasing the a/w ratio.
2.For a rectangular Metal Matrix composite plate with a central circular
cutout, the magnitudes of the buckling loads are decreased by increasing the
d/w ratio.
3. The influence of the d/w ratio on the reduction in buckling load is greater than
the a/b ratio .
4.The buckling load will increases upto d1/d ratio 0.1 and buckling load decreases
after 0.1.

5.The hardness of Al356 composites has increased with increase in addition of

B4C.

64

6.2 FUTURE SCOPE OF THE WORK

In the present study the buckling load of the laminated composite plate was determined. The
effect of aspect ratio, cutout shape and stress concentration technique on buckling load was
studied. The future scope of the present investigation can be expressed as follows:

1. We have studied effect of cut out on reduction of stress concentration, but in future
other methods (providing multiple notches & removal of material around the
discontinuity) can also be done.

2. We can study Post Buckling behaviour of laminated composite material, which is a

nonlinear analysis.

3. Temperature effect on laminated composite plate can also be encountered.

65

REFERENCES

66

REFERENCES
1.

Composite Material & Structure by Madhujit Mukhopadhyay, University Press.

2.

Buket Okutan Baba and Aysun Baltaci. Buckling characteristics of symmetrically and
anti-symmetrically laminated composite plates with central cutout,- Applayed
Composite Materials 14(2007):265276

3.

A K Sreevastva, R.K Singh. Effect of aspect ratio on buckling of composite plates-.

Journal of Composites Science and Technology 59 (1999) 439-445

4.

Chainarin Pannok and Pairod Singhatanadgid . Buckling analysis of composite

laminate rectangular and skew plates with various edge support conditions. - The 20th
Conference of Mechanical Engineering Network of Thailand (2006)18-20.

5.

David Roylance, Laminated composite plates, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, (2000) MA 02139.

6.

G. Garya and H. Zhao. Dynamic testing of fibre polymer matrix composite plates
under in-plane compression- Journal of Composites: Part A 31 (2000) 835840.

7.

D. Bucco and J. Mazumdar, Buckling analysis of plates of arbitrary shape, journal of

Austral. Math. Soc. Ser. B 26 (1984), 77-91

8.

E. A. Pieczyska, R. B. PecherskI and S.P. Gadaj . Experimental and theoretical

investigations of glass-fibre reinforced composite subjected to uniaxial compression
for a wide spectrum of strain rates. Arch. Mech., 58 (2006), 3, pp. 273291.

9.

SAEED MOABENI,PERSON PUBLICATION,Finite Element Analysis :Theory and

Application with Ansys ,third edition.

67