Finite element modelling of delamination growth in the DCB and edge delaminated DCB specimens

This paper presents the results of a finite element investigation of delamination growth in a conventional Mode I double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen and in an edge-delaminated version of this specimen. The investigation was performed using a recently developed FE model for delamination growth prediction to which an approximate contact area detection method has been added. The results of the FE analyses are used to evaluate the existing data reduction techniques for calculation of interlaminar fracture toughness. It is shown that the conventional DCB data reduction schemes can be applied to the edge delaminated specimen but the results are dependent upon the difference between the measured apparent delamination length and the actual length being constant. An alternative data reduction method is presented in which the critical energy release rate is determined by comparison of the experimental data with finite element results and does not require measurement of the delamination length.