Change of Damage Zone Size by T-stress

ABSTRACT: In this article, the influence of T-stress on the plastic/damage zone size of a precracked isotropic/composite plate is studied by using various failure criteria under tensile loading conditions. The results of this investigation indicate that the stress field with T-stress always yields a larger damage zone than the field without T-stress. The obtained results have been compared with other results presented by Larsson and Carlsson as well as Rice and others. These results may be referred to the damage repairing work of laminated composite plates. KEY WORDS: damage zone size, T-stress, composites.