Study of biaxial stress transfer in multilayer composites under uniaxial or biaxial tensile loading

Abstract

This paper establishes a two-dimensional (2-D) shear-lag model applicable to multilayer composites, aiming to analyze the stress transfer mechanism in multilayer composites under uniaxial or biaxial tensile loading. Semi-analytical solutions for the normal stress and shear stress are provided under the assumption of elastic interface conditions. An example of patch-reinforced composites is used to provide semi-analytical solutions for the normal stress and shear stress under the assumption of elastic interface conditions. The study investigated the influence of material parameters on the stress distribution within each layer of multilayer composites, including the thickness ratio, the difference in Poisson’s ratio, the thickness of the adhesive layer, the aspect ratio, and the number of layers. The results indicate that the stress distribution solutions predicted by the proposed 2-D model are in good agreement with finite element results. This model provides an effective solution method for the 2-D stress problem in multilayer composites.