Determination of the Elastic Constants of Composites Through the Inversion of Leaky Lamb Wave Data

TLDR: In this paper, the elastic response of composite laminates to external loads is described by means of five elastic constants and the values of these constants can be determined, then the stress analysis of a laminate with a given number and stacking order of the laminae can, in principle, be carried out.

Abstract: Analysis and prediction of the response of composite laminates to external loads are essential for the design of composite structures This in turn requires a precise knowledge of their mechanical properties including their constitutive behavior It is reasonable to assume that, in the bulk, the overall behavior of unidirectional graphite/epoxy composites is the same as that of a homogeneous, transversely isotropic material with its symmetry axis along the fiber direction Then the linear elastic response of the material can be described by means of five elastic constants If the values of these constants can be determined, then the stress analysis of a laminate with a given number and stacking order of the laminae can, in principle, be carried out However, the measurement of the elastic constants by conventional, destructive techniques is difficult and often, inaccurate Thus, the availability of alternative, preferably nondestructive methods, for the determination of the elastic costants of the material would be extremely helpful