Large damage capability of non-crimp fabric thin-ply laminates

The residual strength of thin-ply non-crimp fabric laminates with large through-the-thickness cracks is investigated in this paper. Analysis methods such as the linear elastic fracture mechanics, inherent flaw, point-stress, average-stress and Finite Fracture Mechanics are used to predict large damage capability. Experiments show that thin-ply non-crimp fabric laminates exhibit high resistance to propagation of large cracks and a remarked...