A Novel Test Geometry for Characterization of Traction-Separation Behavior in Composite Laminates Under Mode I Delamination

The integration of composite laminates into automotive structures can provide weight reduction and improvement in occupant safety. However, the adoption of such materials requires characterization and efficient modeling of the damage behaviors of composite laminates which may occur during crash events, such as delamination. Numerical modeling techniques such as cohesive zone modeling require a traction-separation response for each mode of loading. The standard test technique used to characterize Mode I delamination, the double cantilever beam (DCB), measures the critical energy release rate; however, additional tests or inverse fitting techniques are required to characterize the full traction-separation response. Additionally, compliance inherent in the DCB specimen can influence the measured energy release rate while the large size of the specimen complicates the high deformation rate testing needed for crash analysis.