- Title
- Finite element analysis of a composite sandwich beam subjected to a four point bend
- Creator
- Hove, Darlington
- Subject
- Sandwich construction -- Mathematical models
- Subject
- Composite materials -- Research
- Date Issued
- 2011
- Date
- 2011
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc
- Identifier
- vital:10503
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1465
- Identifier
- Sandwich construction -- Mathematical models
- Identifier
- Composite materials -- Research
- Description
- The work in this dissertation deals with the global structural response and local damage effects of a simply supported natural fibre composite sandwich beam subjected to a four-point bend. For the global structural response, we are investigating the flexural behaviour of the composite sandwich beam. We begin by using the principle of virtual work to derive the linear and nonlinear Timoshenko beam theory. Based on these theories, we then proceed to develop the respective finite element models and then implement the numerical algorithm in MATLAB. Comparing the numerical results with experimental results from the CSIR, the numerical model correctly and qualitatively recovers the underlying mechanics with some noted deviances which are explained at the end. The local damage effect of interest is delamination and we begin by reviewing delamination theory with more emphasis on the cohesive zone model. The cohesive zone model relates the traction at the interface to the relative displacement of the interface thereby creating a material model of the interface. We then carry out a cohesive zone model delamination case study in MSC.Marc and MSC.Mentat software packages. The delamination modelling is carried out purely as a numerical study as there are no experimental results to validate the numerical results.
- Format
- 83 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
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NMMU School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics
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