2D damping predictions of fiber composite plates: Layup effects

Several two-dimensional theories for predicting the specific damping capacity (SDC) of fiber composite laminates are compared. The theories considered are those of Adams and Bacon, Adams and Maheri, Ni and Adams and Saravanos and Chamis. No interlaminar effects are considered. Results show that the theory of Saravanos and Chamis provides the most consistent fit to experimental results for a range of material properties and laminate layups. For some laminates, however, the Saravanos and Chamis method seems to predict the wrong trend in SDC variation versus layup angle. It is not clear from the current work whether this result is due to the absence of interlaminar effects in the theory or the presence of a three-dimensional stress state in the laminate.