Design/Analysis Methods for Advanced Composite Structures. Volume I.

Hardware preliminary design with composites differs from conventional sheet metal design primarily in the fact that fiber orientation angles and ply stacking sequence must enter into consideration. To efficiently utilize these newer materials there should be some logic whereby these new design prameters may be selected so as to best satisfy the design requirements. Three prerequisites to the development of this logic are the means for adequately predicting the stiffness, static strength, and fatigue life of an arbitrary laminate. This program has investigated all three of these areas. Improvements in stiffness and strength application of nonlinear micromacro mechanics. An initial effort at observing and characterizing boron-epoxy laminate fatigue behavior was also undertaken. A general approach to the design of statically determinate structures from composites was described and demonstrated. Volume 1 contains the account of the major phases of the technical program. Author, modified-PL