ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR THE STRESS CONCENTRATION

ANALYSIS OF MULTILAYERED ANISOTROPIC COMPOSITES WITH

PIN-LOADED HOLES
Werner Hufenbach, Bernd Grber, Martin Lepper, Bingquan Zhou
Institut fr Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik (ILK), Technische Universitt Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany

KEYWORDS: stress concentrations, pin-loaded holes, multilayered anisotropic composites, analytical methods.
INTRODUCTION
The use of fibre- and textile-reinforced multilayered composites in particular for load-carrying
and safety-relevant applications has been expanded considerably during recent years. Hereby textile semi-finished reinforcing products in form of multi-axial knitted, woven or braided performs
have gained increasing importance compared to uni- or bidirectional fibre-reinforced layers.
The analysis of the stress concentration behaviour of pin-loaded holes is for many structures of
great importance since holes in composites structures can often be considered as design drivers
and since related issues occur in form of subproblems in the evaluation of rivets, screws, etc.
Whilst in literature analytical solutions for the concentration problem of fibre-reinforced multilayered composite plates with cut-outs and elastic inclusions can be found [1, 2] ( mostly based on
the fundamental works of LEKHNITSKII [3]), such publications are not found very often for
generally multilayered anisotropic composites with pin-loaded holes [4, 5].
ANALYTICAL CALCULATION METHOD
Since the composite structures dealt with here are considered to be thin-walled, they can be globally described by means of the classical laminate theory (CLT). Starting with the structural law as
given by the CLT and expanding the classical plate theory in such a way, that the equilibrium
equations for the plate are supplemented by the membrane forces a generalised plate equation for
composites is obtained that can be represented as a system of coupled partial differential equations
(PDE).
I the case of the problem of a pin-loaded hole, the mechanical equivalent of an infinite plate with
a centric cut-out loaded with a sinusoidal normal distribution of edge forces on a continuous part
of the notch edge (Eq. 1) (partial edge load, see Fig. 1(a)).

s B
~
p0 sin B 0 B fr s 0B ,1B = SB
N n (s) =
(1)
1 0
0
fr s \ SB

For obtaining solutions for the PDE-system, the method of complex-valued displacement
functions is called upon. Hereby it is obvious, that the static equilibrium conditions on the overall
plate are no longer fulfilled, because of the asymmetric partial edge load. So a virtual resultant R
= (Rx, Ry)T is introduced as an auxiliary variable inside the cut-out (see for example Fig. 1(a) and
[5]). By adding some additional boundary conditions caused by the introduction of the virtual
resultant, a complex LAURENT series expansion and a comparison of coefficients on the notch
edge, a linear system of equations is created to determine the unknowns.

20.00

sj

y,90

+45-layer

-45-layer

15.00

CFK
[+45/-45]S

normal force distribution

on notch bondary

~
Nn
~
Nn

0
0

Rx

-45-layer

5.00

0.00
0.0

3
2

SB

OB
0

Ry

stress [MPa]

+45-layer

t rj

10.00

p0

DJ

x,0

45.0

90.0

135.0

180.0

225.0

270.0

315.0

360.0

-5.00

analytical
-10.00

FEM: +45-layer

-45-layer

sr

FEM: -45-layer
+45-layer

-15.00

notch edge coordinate []

(a) Cut-out with partial edge load

(b) Comparison of analytical and numerical results

Fig.1. Mechanically equivalent model and analytical and numerical results

NUMERICAL VERIFICATION
To verifyof the developed calculation methods for multilayered composites with pin-loaded holes,
extensive numerical finite-element (FE) investigations have been carried out. The acquired
numerical results established by the finite-element method show a very good correlation with the
pre-calculated analytical solutions and thus endorse the developed theory in an impressive way
(see for example Fig. 1(b)).
Based on this strong support, the developed calculation methods offer a very good basis for the
development of new fast dimensioning-tools for the end-user dealing with multilayered unidirectional or textile-reinforced composites with pin-loaded holes.
CONCLUSION
For the problem of multilayered composites with pin-loaded holes examined here, analytical solution methods based on complex valued displacement functions have been developed. Here, we
should emphasize that not only stresses, distortions and displacements directly at the edge of the
notch can be calculated, but also their distribution throughout the entire plate. A vast number of
FE calculations were performed for the verification of the developed calculation methods. A
comparison of these numerical values and the results obtained by means of the developed
analytical solution methods showed a high level of concurrence and therefore support the
developed calculation method in a strong way.
REFERENCES
1. Hufenbach W., Grber B., Langkamp A., Lepper M. and M., Kroll, L. Advanced
calculation methods for notched hybrid composites with textile-reinforced polymers.
Journal of Plastics Technology, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2007.
2. Engels H. and Becker W. Closed-form analysis of external patch repairs on laminates.
Composite Structures, Vol. 56, No. 3, pp 259-268, 2002.
3. Lekhnitskii S. G. Anisotropic Plates. Transl. 2nd russ. edition: S. W. Tsai and T.
Cheroin, New York et al.: Gordon and Breach, 1968.
4. Echavarra C., Haller P. and Salenikovich A. Analytical study of a pin-loaded hole in
elastic orthotropic plates. Composite Structures, Vol. 79, pp. 107-112, 2007.
5. Grber B. Beitrag zur Strukturanalyse von anisotropen Schichtverbunden mit elastischen
Einschlssen und Bolzen. PhD-Thesis, Technische Universitt Dresden, 2004.