The influence of hygrothermal effects on the cross-ply composite laminate with transverse cracking in transient mode

¹ Laboratoire des sciences aéronautiques, Institut d’aéronautique et des études spatiales, Université de Blida 1, Algérie
² Laboratoire matériaux et hydrologie, université de Sidi Belabes, Algérie

^a Corresponding author: mkhojet@hotmail.fr

Received: 13 February 2015
Accepted: 8 January 2016

Abstract

The stiffness reduction of symmetric hygrothermal cracked and aged cross-ply laminates is predicted by using two different models, shear-lag and variational approach. The material properties are considered to be dependent on temperature and transient moisture distribution in desorption case. This transient hygrothermal effect is taken into account to access the changes in the longitudinal modulus due to transverse cracking. The obtained results illustrate well the dependence of the stiffness degradation on the cracks density and transient environmental conditions, especially at high temperature. Through the presented study, we hope to contribute to the understanding of hygrothermal behaviour of cracked composite laminate.