Numerical analysis of singly curved shallow composite panels under three-point ...

• Author(s): R. M. Guedes ; Alcides Sá
• Date: 2008
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10216/55271
• Origin: Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto
• Subject(s): Ciências Tecnológicas; Engenharia; Engenharia de materiais
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

The experimental methodology to test curved panels under three-point bend (3PB) load is assessed. The problem arises when mechanical and strength characterization of pipe material systems is necessary. Test specimens cut out from pipe samples oriented in the tangential direction are used to measure hoop modulus and strength. In this procedure singly curved beams with the same radius of the pipe are obtained. The increase use of composite materials for piping systems and other civil engineering structures has renewed interest in these types of problems. The presented assessment was made using three different approaches: Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis, curved beam theory and an approximate 2D elasticity solution for multi-layered cylindrical shell panel. The FEM simulation used the nonlinear geometrical analysis. It was verified that for some cases that nonlinear effect becomes 3 important. Furthermore the maximum span limitation induced by the specimen’s geometry can prevent the use of appropriate span/thickness ratios to avoid significant shear effects. However it was concluded that for typical GFRP panels, with internal radius between 150 and 250 mm with a wall thickness of 12 mm, the 3PB tests display an almost linear relation between applied load and maximum deflection. Moreover reasonable accurate results, with an error lower than 5%, can be expected using the curved beam theory formulas.