Analysis of the effects of matrix cracking on composite laminates is a well-known problem which
has attracted considerable attention for the past decade. An approximate analytical solution is introduced
in this thesis to study this type of problem.
The subjects of primary concem are the degradation of effective laminate properties, such as axial
stiffness, Poisson’s ratio, shear modulus, and coefficient of thermal expansion, as a function of crack
density and the axial stress redistribution due to the existence of matrix cracks. Both transverse
cracks (2-D problem) and cross (transverse and longitudinal) cracks (3-D problem) are studied. 1,
Results for graphite/epoxy cross-ply laminates are presented and compared to those of other approaches.
Some other materials, for instance, glass/epoxy, are also studied. The results and comparisons
will appear where appropriate. In general, the agreement between the results of the present
analysis and those of other approaches, in particular, the finite element method, is good for the
lower crack density. The present study shows that Poisson’s ratio may be a good indicator of the
degree of damage for a cracked laminate.
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