Numerical modelling of multi-directional thin-ply carbon/glass hybrid composites with open holes under tension

Many researchers have used continuum damage mechanics for modelling damage in standard composites. This approach is intrinsically suitable for modelling the progress of damage modes spread over the specimen, which has been widely reported in pseudo-ductile hybrid composites. To the authors' best knowledge, this paper is the first numerical model based on continuum damage mechanics proposed for pseudo-ductile hybrid composites. The proposed constitutive model uses a thermodynamically consistent approach to compute the damage progression in the material. Experimental stress-strain curves and the failure pattern of carbon/glass hybrid lay-ups with gradual failure taken from the literature are compared against the numerical results to validate the model. The model provides a mesh-independent solution with a good prediction of the damage sequence and the overall stress-strain curves of the notched samples. A good correlation in size, location and type of damage mechanism was found between numerical and experimental results. This study indicates that the proposed model can provide a good prediction of the onset and propagation of the damage in notched hybrid composite laminates.