Static tensile experiment was performed for orthotropic composite laminates containing an elliptical opening. Based on the extended point stress fracture criterion and the ex tended average stress fracture criterion, a modified model is presented that expresses the characteristic damage zone size as functions of the opening length and opening aspect ratio. The predictions for the notched strength of orthotropic laminates, containing either a circular hole, an elliptical opening, or a center crack, agree very well with experimental data and are written in a tractable form.
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