A layered limit analysis of pinned-joints composite laminates: Numerical versus experimental findings

The evaluation of the strength capability as well as the prediction of the failure mechanism of pinned- joints in composite laminates is addressed. Upper and lower bounds to the collapse (failure) load multi- plier of statically loaded joints, fastening orthotropic laminates in plane stress conditions, are worked out via a limit analysis numerical procedure carried out at lamina level. Such a layer-by-layer approach, taking into account the actual stacking sequence of the laminate, is able to tackle the addressed problem with very good accuracy so resulting an effective design tool. A large number of experimental data, detected on real prototypes and available in the relevant literature, are considered to validate, by comparison with the numerical findings, the proposed procedure.