High-speed mode-I delamination

The analytical theory of mode-I delamination propagation in double cantilever beams (DCBs) under high loading rates is developed by accounting for structural vibration and wave dispersion, and by using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The developed analytical theory is validated against experimental data and against finite element method (FEM) simulations, showing excellent agreement. It is shown that the developed analytical theory can accurately calculate energy release rate (ERR) for both stationary and propagating delamination, and that structural vibration can have a significant effect on ERR. It is further shown how the theory can be used to post-process experimental results from high-speed delamination tests to determine fracture toughness. Among other examples, the work is therefore expected to be useful to engineers and academic researchers to determine the initiation, arrest and propagation fracture toughness of laminated materials against delamination. The developed theory also provides useful benchmark solutions for the development of numerical codes.