Elastic-Plastic Stress Analysis and Plastic Region Expansion of Transversely Distributed Loaded Aluminum Metal-Matrix-laminated Plates with a Square Hole

Abstract

In this study, an elastic-plastic analysis and expansion of plastic region are carried out on symmetric and antisymmetric metal-matrix-laminated plates with a square hole. The plates are assumed to be clamped and subjected to transversely distributed loads. Loading is gradually increased from the yield point of the plate by 0.0001 MPa at each load step. Load step numbers are chosen as 300, 500, and 700. Residual stress components and the propagation of the plastic region are obtained for small deformations on the upper and lower surfaces by using the finite element method (FEM). Results show that the plastic regions at the plate edges expand in the direction of the fibers. But, the plastic regions at the border of the hole expand toward the diagonal of the square hole, which makes acute angle with the fiber direction, due to stress concentration.