Stress concentration in composites laminates

A numerical stress analysis using Boundary Element Method (BEM) was carried out on unidirectional orthotropic composite laminates. The study was to analyse the location and magnitude of stress concentration around the central hole of the laminate. The materials studied in this numerical simulation are Aramid Epoxy, Boron Epoxy, HMS Carbon Epoxy and Kevlar-49 Epoxy. The effects of geometric variations and fiber orientation when the plate was subjected to uniaxial and biaxial loading was presented. It was found that the maximum stress concentration value increases with the increment of the diameter of the hole. The angle of fiber orientation have effect on the level of stress concentration.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering