An analytical damage tolerance method accounting for delamination in compression-loaded composites

An efficient damage tolerance (DT) analysis method is required for application during the preliminary design phase of a composite structure. In the present work, we describe an analytical, energy-based DT analysis method for compression-loaded composite laminates containing a delamination. Based on the sublaminate buckling as the driving phenomenon, the strain energy release rate is calculated through the virtual crack extension method. The...