A linear numerical approach to simulate the delamination growth initiation in stiffened composite panels

In this article, a simplified linear analysis-based approach to simulate the delamination growth initiation in stiffened composite panels, suitable as preliminary design and optimization tool implemented into a finite element code, is presented. The proposed approach is based on the determination of the delamination buckling and on the evaluation of the energy released during the delamination propagation by means of eigenvalue and linear static analyses. Stiffened composite panels with circular embedded bay delaminations, under compression loads, were adopted as a benchmark to test the simulation capabilities of the method. Obtained results, in terms of delamination growth initiation load and energy release rate distributions along the delamination front, have been compared to nonlinear results obtained by the virtual crack closure technique and experimental data for preliminary validation purposes. Comments and considerations upon the applicability of this methodology are, finally, provided with particular focus on delamination sizes and locations within the considered structural elements.