R.M. O’Higgins

The Development of a Continuum Damage Model for Fibre Metal Laminate Structures

Fibre Metal Laminates (FMLs) are a family of materials consisting of alternating layers of thin metal sheets and fibre-reinforced plastic. Glass composite based FMLs, commercially available under the name GLARE, have recently found application in the aircraft industry due to their excellent fatigue performance and impact properties. This work aims to develop a computational damage model for GLARE for use in finite element simulations. Unique challenges arise in modelling this material since it possesses both the elastic-plastic characteristics common to metals and the more brittle behaviour of glass based composite. Of particular interest to this project is the behaviour of GLARE in jointed configurations. The project proposes to develop a methodology for modelling damage initiation and growth in jointed GLARE structures and to validate the results against experimental data.