A PLASTICITY-BASED CONSTITUTIVE MODEL FOR FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE LAMINATES

A continuum mechanics approach is adopted herein to develop a constitutive model for the nonlinear behaviour of laminated composites up to and including ultimate failure. The proposed model for single layers of fibre-reinforced composites (FRC) is derived within the framework of rate-independent theory of orthotropic plasticity. Both unidirectional and bidirectional (e.g., woven) FRC layers are modelled. The individual layer constitutive equations are superimposed using classical lamination theory to yield the global laminate response. The model's accuracy is illustrated by comparing the results of numerical simulations with experimental data available in the literature.