A strain-energy-based non-linear failure criterion: comparison of numerical predictions and experimental observations for symmetric composite laminates

A strain-energy-based model to predict non-linear stress/strain response, failure onset and progression in composite laminates was presented by Wolfe and Butalia (Compos. Sci. Technol. 1998, 58, 1107). This paper focuses on some of the critical issues relating to the development of that model. Several of the assumptions made in the model are relaxed or modified. A variety of unidirectional and symmetric laminates are studied. A comparison of numerical results obtained from the model and published experimental data (Supplied by Soden, Kaddour and Hinton (Compos. Sci. Technol., in press) is presented for four different material systems. The strain energy based failure theory predictions agree very well with many of the experimental observations for the material systems investigated in this study.