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Materials Failure Modes PDF
Materials Failure Modes PDF
Failure Modes
The use of engineered composite structures requires an insight into the failure modes that are
unique to these types of materials. Some people say that composites are “forgiving,” while
others note that catastrophic failures can be quite sudden. Because laminates are built from
distinct plies, it is essential to understand how loads are “shared” among the plies. It is also
critical to distinguish between resin dominated failures or fiber dominated failures. Armed
with a thorough understanding of the different ways that a structure can fail makes it possible
to design a laminate that will “soften” at the point of potential failure and redistribute stress.
Tensile failures of composite materials is fairly rare, as filament reinforcements are strongest in
tension along their primary axis. Tensile loading in an off-axis direction is a different story.
Resin and fiber mechanical properties vary widely in tension, so each must be studied for stress
or strain limited failure with off-axis loading scenarios.
Compressive failures in composites are probably the hardest to understand or predict. Failures
can occur at a very small-scale, such as the compression or buckling of individual fibers. With
sandwich panels, skin faces can wrinkle or the panel itself may become unstable. Indeed,
incipient failure may occur at some load well below an ultimate failure.
Out-of-plane loading, such as hydrostatic force, creates flexural forces for panels. Classic
beam theory would tell us that the loaded face is in compression, the other face is in tension,
and the core will experience some shear stress distribution profile. For three-dimensional
panels, predicting through-thickness stresses is somewhat more problematic. Bending failure
modes to consider include core shear failure, core-to-skin debonds, and skin failures (tension,
compression, and local).
Although composite structures are not subject to corrosion, laminates can sustain long-term
damage from ultraviolet (UV) and elevated temperature exposure. Based on the number of
pioneering FRP recreational craft that are still in service, properly engineered laminates should
survive forty-plus years in service.
Lastly, the performance of composite structures in fires is often a factor that limits the use of
these materials. Composites are excellent insulators, which tends to confine fires to the space
of origin. However, as an organic material the polymeric resin systems will burn when
exposed to a large enough fire. Tests of various sizes exist to understand the performance
marine composite materials system during shipboard fires.
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Failure Modes Marine Composites
Tensile Failures
The tensile behavior of engineered
composite materials is generally
characterized by stress-strain curves, such as
those shown in Figure 4-23. The ASTM
Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties
of Plastics, D 638-84, defines several key
tensile failure terms as follows:
Stress
Tensile Strength = Maximum tensile
strength during test
Strain = The change in
length per unit
Yield Point = First point on the
stress-strain curve
where increased
strain occurs
without increased
stress
Elastic limit = The greatest stress
that a material can
withstand without
permanent
deformation
Strain
Modulus of elasticity = The ratio of stress to
strain below the
proportional limit
Figure 4-23 Tensile Failure Modes of
Proportional limit = Greatest stress that Engineered Plastics Defined by ASTM
a material can [ASTM D 638-84, ASTM, West
withstand with Conshohocken, PA]
linear behavior
Tensile tests are usually performed under standard temperature and humidity conditions and at
relatively fast speeds (30 seconds to 5 minutes). Test conditions can vary greatly from in-service
conditions and the designer is cautioned when using single-point engineering data generated
under laboratory test conditions. Some visible signs of tensile failures in plastics are:
Crazing: Crazes are the first sign of surface tensile failures in thermoplastic materials and gel
coat finishes. Crazes appear as clean hairline fractures extending from the surface into the
composite. Crazes are not true fractures, but instead are combinations of highly oriented
“fibrils” surrounded by voids. Unlike fractures, highly crazed surfaces can transmit stress.
Water, oils, solvents and the environment can accelerate crazing.
Cracks: Cracking is the result of stress state and environment. Cracks have no fibrills, and
thus cannot transmit stress. Cracks are a result of embrittlement, which is promoted by
sustained elevated temperature, UV, thermal and chemical environments in the presence of
stress or strain. This condition is also termed “stress-cracking.”
Stress whitening: This condition is associated with plastic materials that are stretched near
their yield point. The surface takes on a whitish appearance in regions of high stress. [4-34]
210
Chapter Four PERFORMANCE
Membrane Tension
Large deflections of panels that are constrained laterally at their edges will produce tensile
stresses on both faces due to a phenomena called “membrane” tension. Figure 4-24 illustrates
this concept and the associated nomenclature. The ASCE Structural Plastics Design Manual
[4-34] provides a methodology for approximating large deflections and stresses of isotropic
plates when subjected to both bending and membrane stress. For long rectangular plates with
fixed ends, the uniform pressure, q, is considered to be the sum of qb, the pressure resisted by
bending and qm, the pressure resisted by membrane tension. Similarly, the maximum
deflection, wmax, is defined as the sum of deflection due to plate bending and membrane action.
ASCE defines the deflection due to bending as:
(1 − ν 2 ) q b b 4
wc = 0.156 (4-8)
E t3
6.4 w c E t 3
qb = (4-9)
(1 − ν 2 ) b 4
where:
E = material stiffness (tensile)
ν = Poisson's ratio
t = plate thickness
b = span dimension
The deflection of the plate due only to membrane action is given as:
1
(1 − ν 2 ) q m b 4 3
wc = 0.41 (4-10)
Et
14.5 w c3 E t
qm = (4-11)
(1 − ν 2 ) b 4
Combining (4-9) and (4-11) results in the following expression for total load:
wc E t 3 w2
q = 6.4 + 14.5 2c (4-12)
(1 − ν 2 ) b 4 t
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Failure Modes Marine Composites
The Manual [4-34] suggests that trail thicknesses, t, be tried until acceptable deflections or
maximum stresses result. Bending stress for long plates is given as:
q m2 b 2 E
σ cy = 0.30 3
(4-14)
(1 − ν 2 ) t 2
The total stress is the sum of equations (4-13) and (4-14). With thick or sandwich laminates,
the skin on the loaded side can be in compression, and thus the combined bending and
membrane stress may actually be less than the bending stress alone.
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Chapter Four PERFORMANCE
Compressive Failures
Analytical methods for predicting
compressive failures in solid and
sandwich laminates are presented in
Chapter Three. The following discussion
describes some of the specific failure
modes found in sandwich laminates.
Figure 4-25 illustrates the compressive General Buckling Crimping
General Buckling
Formulas for predicting general or panel buckling are presented in Chapter Three. As hull
panels are generally sized to resist hydrodynamic loads, panel buckling usually occurs in decks
or bulkheads. Transversely-framed decks may be more than adequate to resist normal loads,
while still being susceptible to global, hull girder compressive loads resulting from longitudinal
bending moments.
Bulkhead scantling development, especially with multi-deck ships, requires careful attention to
anticipated in-plane loading. Superposition methods can be used when analyzing the case of
combined in-plane and out-of-plane loads. This scenario would obviously produce buckling
sooner than with in-plane loading alone. The general Euler buckling formula for collapse is:
π2 EI
σ critical = (4-15)
l 2 cr
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Failure Modes Marine Composites
↑
l
↓
lcr = 2l lcr = l lcr = 0.5l
lcr = 0.707l
Figure 4-26 Critical Length for Euler Buckling Formula Based on End Condition
[Sandwich Structures Handbook, Il Prato]
Skin wrinkling is a form of local buckling whereupon the skins separate from the core and
buckle on their own. Sandwich skins can wrinkle symmetrically; in a parallel fashion
(anti-symmetric), or one side only. The primary structural function of the skin-to-core
interface in sandwich laminates is to transfer shear stress between the skins and the core. This
bond relies on chemical and mechanical phenomena. A breakdown of this bond and/or
buckling instability of the skins themselves (too soft or too thin) can cause skin wrinkling.
Eskin t skin
σ critical = 2 (4-16)
(1 − µ )
2
skin c
where:
tskin = skin thickness
c = core cell size given as an inscribed circle
214
Chapter Four PERFORMANCE
M y
σx = (4-17)
Iz
where:
σ x = skin tensile or Figure 4-27 Nomenclature for Describing
compressive Bending Stress in Solid Beam
stress
M = applied bending moment
y = distance from the neutral
axis
Iz = moment of inertia about
the “z” axis
As is illustrated in Figure 4-27, the in-plane tensile and compressive stresses are maximum at
the extreme fibers of the beam (top and bottom).
Formulas for general and maximum shear Figure 4-28 Nomenclature for Describing
stress as a function of shear load, V, are: Shear Stress in Solid Beam
V h2
τ xy = − y 2 (4-18)
2I z 4
Vh 2
τ max = (4-19)
8I z
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Failure Modes Marine Composites
δ = δm + δv (4-20)
where:
δ v = shear deflection
δ m = moment deflection
Neutral Axis
Neutral Axis
Neutral Axis
Ecore << Eskins
Figure 4-29 Bending and Shear Stress Distribution in Sandwich Beams (2-D) with
Relatively Stiff Cores [Structural Plastics Design Manual published by the American
Society of Civil Engineers.]
216
Chapter Four PERFORMANCE
θ ≈ (4-21)
2 Dmf
Neutral Axis
Mp
Qs
Ms
Skin Neutral Axis
Qs
Q=Qp+Qs
M=Mp+Ms
Neutral Axis
Combined Bending Moment and Shear Force Bending Stress Shear Stress
Figure 4-30 Bending and Shear Stress Distribution in Sandwich Beams (2-D) with
Relatively Soft Cores [Structural Plastics Design Manual published by the American
Society of Civil Engineers.]
217
Failure Modes Marine Composites
σ ai
ε crit = (4-22)
Eai [ | y − yi | + 1
2 ti ]
where:
σ ai = strength of ply under consideration
= σ t for a ply in the outer skin
= σ c for a ply in the inner skin
Eai = modulus of ply under consideration
= Et for a ply in the outer skin
= Ec for a ply in the inner skin
y = distance from the bottom of the panel to the neutral axis
yi = distance from the bottom of the panel to the ply under consideration
ti = thickness of ply under consideration
σ t = tensile strength of the ply being considered
σ c = compressive strength of the ply being considered
Et = tensile stiffness of the ply being considered
Ec = compressive stiffness of the ply being considered
218
Chapter Four PERFORMANCE
(| y − y |)
2
FMi = ε min Eai t i i (4-23)
where:
The minimum section moduli for outer and inner skins, respectively, of a sandwich panel based
on the failure moment responsible for first ply stress failure is given as:
n
∑ FM i
i =1
SM o = (4-24)
σ to
n
∑ FM i
i =1
SM i = (4-25)
σ ci
where:
219
Failure Modes Marine Composites
Creep
Engineered structures are often required to resist loads over a long period of time. Structures
subjected to creep, such as bridges and buildings, are prime examples. Deckhouses and
machinery foundations are examples of marine structures subject to long-term stress. Just as
many marine composite structural problems are deflection-limited engineering problems,
long-term creep characteristics of composite laminates has been an area of concern, especially
in way of main propulsion shafting, where alignment is critical. The following discussion on
creep is adapted from the Structural Plastics Design Manual published by the American
Society of Civil Engineers. [4-34]
Figure 4-32 Variation in Viscoelastic Modulus with Time [Structural Plastics Design
Manual published by the American Society of Civil Engineers]
220
Chapter Four PERFORMANCE
Methods for mathematically estimating creep behavior have been developed based on
experimentally determined material constants. Findley [4-34] proposed the following equation
to describe strain over time for a given material system:
ε = ε′ 0 + ε′ t t n (4-26)
where:
ε = total elastic plus time-dependent strain (inches/inch or mm/mm)
ε′ 0 = stress-dependent, time-independent initial elastic strain
(inches/inch or mm/mm)
ε′ t = stress-dependent, time-dependent coefficient of time-dependent strain
(inches/inch or mm/mm)
n = material constant, substantially independent of stress magnitude
t = time after loading (hours)
When the continuously applied stress, σ, is less than the constants σ 0 and σ t given in Table
4-7, equation (4-26) can be rewritten as:
σ σ
ε = ε0 + εt t n (4-27)
σ0 σt
σ0
When E0, an elastic modulus independent of time is defined as and Et, a modulus that
ε0
σt
characterizes time-dependent behavior is defined as , equation (4-27) can be given as:
εt
1 tn
ε = σ + (4-28)
E0 Et
Constants for the viscoelastic behavior of some engineering polymeric systems are given in
Table 4-7. Data in Table 4-7 is obviously limited to a few combinations of reinforcements and
resin systems. Indeed, the composition and orientation of reinforcements will influence creep
behavior. As composite material systems are increasingly used for infrastructure applications,
creep testing of modern material systems should increase.
221
Failure Modes Marine Composites
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