Damage and free edge effects in laminated composites. Energy and stability propositions

The paper considers certain important aspects of a theory that accounts for distributed damage and edge delamination effects in laminated composites. The proposed model considers the mechanics of damage, resulting from the application of external loads. Also edge delamination, an important phenomenon of laminated anisotropic composites, is included in the theory. The irreversible part, due to damage and edge effects, of rate of global energy shows an important contribution to the overall energy equations. Instabilities due to damage growth, edge delamination growth or both the above are considered and relations for their development are established.