Buckling-driven delamination growth in composite laminates: Guidelines for assessing the threat posed by interlaminar matrix delamination

This paper is concerned with development of a simple procedure to assess the threat posed by interlaminar matrix delaminations to the integrity of composite laminates when they are situated in a compressive stress field. Depending upon the size of the delamination, its location below the surface and on the level of the applied stress, it may or may not buckle away from the rest of the laminate. If it buckles, the post-buckling response will depend upon the applied compressive stress level, the thickness of the delaminated ply and the interlaminar critical energy release rate of the composite material for the mode mixity present at the delamination front. The pre- and post-buckling response is examined in its simplest form and guidelines provided for assessing whether or not a delamination detected during quality control or inspection poses a threat to the safe operation of the composite laminate.