Compressive strength of composite laminates with delamination-induced interaction of panel and sublaminate buckling modes

Compression After Impact (CAI) strength is critical to the safety and weight of carbon fibre aircraft. In this paper, the standard aerospace industry practice of using separate analyses and tests for panel buckling and CAI strength is challenged. Composite panels with a range of stacking sequences were artificially delaminated and subject to compression testing in a fixture that allowed local sublaminate and global panel buckling modes to...