Effects of interlaminar stresses on damping of 0‐degree unidirectional laminated composites

Abstract The principal aim of this paper is to formulate a general model for predicting damping in composites on the basis of the concept of strain energy‐weighted dissipation. In this model, the effects of interlaminar stresses on damping have been included in addition to the effects of in‐plane extension/compression and in‐plane shear. Validation of the model was confirmed by performing damping measurements on 0° unidirectional composite beams with varying length and thickness. The results of theoretical predictions of damping in laminated composites were found to compare favorably with experimental data. The transverse shear (σ_xz) reveals to have a considerable effect on the damping mechanisms in 0° unidirectional polymer composites. However, the other interlaminar stresses (σ_yz, σ_z) were shown to have little influence on damping in composite beam.