Delamination at ply drops in composites with thickness tapering has been a concern in applications of carbon fibers. This study explored the resistance to delamination under fatigue loading of carbon and glass fiber prepreg laminates with the same resin system, containing various ply drop geometries, and using thicker plies typical of wind turbine blades. Applied stress and strain levels to produce significant delamination at ply drops have been determined, and the experimental results correlated through finite element and analytical models. Carbon fiber laminates with ply drops, while performing adequately under static loads, delaminated in fatigue at low maximum strain levels except for the thinnest ply drops. The lower elastic modulus of the glass fiber laminates resulted in much higher strains to produce delamination for equivalent ply drop geometries. The results indicate that ply drops for carbon fibers should be much thinner than those commonly used for glass fibers in wind turbine blades.
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August 2008
Research Papers
Delamination at Thick Ply Drops in Carbon and Glass Fiber Laminates Under Fatigue Loading
Daniel D. Samborsky,
Daniel D. Samborsky
Research Engineer
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
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Timothy J. Wilson,
Timothy J. Wilson
Graduate Student
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
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Pancasatya Agastra,
Pancasatya Agastra
Graduate Student
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
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John F. Mandell
John F. Mandell
Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
Search for other works by this author on:
Daniel D. Samborsky
Research Engineer
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
Timothy J. Wilson
Graduate Student
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
Pancasatya Agastra
Graduate Student
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717
John F. Mandell
Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,
Montana State University
, Bozeman, MT 59717J. Sol. Energy Eng. Aug 2008, 130(3): 031001 (8 pages)
Published Online: June 13, 2008
Article history
Received:
March 6, 2006
Revised:
February 3, 2007
Published:
June 13, 2008
Citation
Samborsky, D. D., Wilson, T. J., Agastra, P., and Mandell, J. F. (June 13, 2008). "Delamination at Thick Ply Drops in Carbon and Glass Fiber Laminates Under Fatigue Loading." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. August 2008; 130(3): 031001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2931496
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