Finite element reliability analysis of edge delamination onset due to interlaminar stresses in composite laminates

A novel approach is employed to develop an efficient algorithm by which Finite Element Reliability Analysis (FERA) is conducted to predict the Edge Delamination Onset (EDO) caused by interlaminar stresses. The Finite Element Method (FEM) has made it possible to calculate the EDO probability process through different interfaces of composite laminates. The FEM and reliability analyzes are performed by ANSYS and MATLAB, respectively. Then, an interactive interface is created to link ANSYS and MATLAB. Simultaneous integration of these two analyses results in stochastic algorithm development to predict the probability of EDO. The probability of EDO is calculated with the aid of First-Order Reliability Method (FORM) and Second-Order Reliability Method (SORM), and the results deduced from these methods are verified by Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). Three different states are considered for the probabilistic prediction of the edge delamination onset including pure mode I, pure mode III and mixed mode I/III. The effects of fibre angle, laminate's thickness, different interfaces and scattering of random variables on EDO probability are investigated. The results are qualitatively validated with published experimental data, showing a good agreement between the probabilities achieved by the FERA algorithm and the experimental observations.