USER INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ABD_ PROGRAM SUMMARY - The program ABD_ is provided to carry out calculations of the

A, B, and D matrices of lamination theory, as well as to calculate stresses in the plies under given loads, and to compare these stresses with failure criteria, using material properties that are either provided in the program or supplied by the user. The program asks for a description of a fiber composite laminate in terms of the type of material or materials, the angles of orientation, and the thicknesses of each ply group. The program then calculates the A, B, and D matrices that are needed for laminate analysis. Loads can also be input and the resulting stress and strain distributions in each ply will be calculated. A further option compares these stresses and strains with failure criteria, and predicts failure loads. The program is supplied in three different formats. One form (ABD_matlab or ABD_matl) runs in the Matlab program environment, which is widely available for Unix, PC and Macintosh computers. If you don't have the Matlab program available, you can use the other compiled programs entitled ABD_dos and ABD_mac, for dos and Macintosh environments. These programs all have similar capabilities, with a few minor exceptions. FURTHER EXPLANATION - The three programs entitled ABD_matlab (or ABD_matl under Windows), ABD_dos, and ABD_mac all have similar capabilities and any one of them can be used as desired. The Matlab version is a collection of Matlab ".m" files that constitute a program that runs under the Matlab environment. Matlab is a widely available general purpose problem solving program for Windows, Macintosh, and Unix platforms. It is available in a regular version and also in a student version at lower cost. To run the program under Matlab, have Matlab running, be in the directory containing all of the files with the .m suffix that are associated with the ABD_matlab program (53 files), and enter ABD_matlab in the command window (ABD_matl in the Windows version). The Matlab .m files are text files. The PC and Mac versions differ only in that the names of the files have been truncated at 8 letters in the PC version, for Windows 3.1 compatibility. If you do not have access to Matlab, you can also run the compiled versions for dos and Macintosh environments. All of these programs have very similar capabilities, although the Matlab version is somewhat more convenient if you are supplying your own material properties, as will be discussed further below . The ABD program asks for a description of a fiber composite laminate in terms of the number of layers, and the angular orientation, thickness, and material of each layer. It then calculates the A, B, and D matrices, as well as the inverse of these matrices. If the layup is not symmetric, the full 6 by 6 ABBD matrix is also inverted. These matrices are only summarized on the screen, but a file can also be opened to record these matrices and other details. In almost all

cases you will want to open the file to get the details of the output. More detail on various aspects of the program are given in the following. Writing to a file - The program asks if you want to write the output to a file. Since only a very brief summary goes to the screen, this option should usually be selected. The file written is a text file that can be opened with any editor or word processing program. The Matlab and Macintosh executable program ask for a file name to be used. The ABD_dos version uses a standard output file name, so this file should be renamed before running the program again if it is desired to be saved . Units - A choice of the system of units between SI and traditional USA units must be made. The units required (and used for output) are indicated within the program. In the SI system the ply input thicknesses are in mm, the input load stress resultants (N) should be in MN/m and the moment resultants (M) in MN-m/m , and temperature differences are in C. The stresses are output in MPa. In the traditional USA system the ply input thicknesses are in inches, the input load stress resultants (N) should be in lb/inch and the moment resultants (M) in lb-in/in, and temperature differences are in F. The stresses are output in psi. Ply thickness - The thickness of each layer (also termed a ply group) is input by first entering a standard ply thickness, and then giving the number of plies in each layer. If the layup is a laminate composed of only one material, then input the actual ply thickness, and the (integer) number of plies in each ply group. Layups with different ply thicknesses in the various groups such as hybrid laminates, or filament wound structures with arbitrary layer thickness, can be treated as well. For these cases you must input the most convenient reference ply thickness, and then input a fictitious number of plies for that group that when multiplied by the reference ply thickness gives the actual ply group (layer) thickness. The number of plies in the layer is not restricted to being an integer. The program only uses the total ply group thickness, and this is calculated by multiplying the input reference thickness by the input number of plies (not necessarily an integer) to get the total thickness of the ply group. Elastic Material Properties - The elastic material properties of each ply group are specified by entering a material number. The modulus and coefficient of thermal expansion values for six common fiber composites are available in the program, and are selected by a material number from a menu. It is also possible to supply your own material properties, for up to an additional 14 materials in the Matlab version, and up to an additional 4 materials in the dos and Mac executable programs. In the Matlab program, the built in properties are given in files spropAS4.m, spropIM7.m, spropEGL.m, spropSGL.m, spropT800, and spropK49. The material properties in these files are for AS4/3501-6 carbon/epoxy, IM7/8551-7 carbon epoxy, E-glass/epoxy, Sglass/epoxy, T800/3900-2 carbon/epoxy, and Kevlar 49/epoxy,

respectively. These same properties are supplied in the dos and Mac executable programs. A listing of these properties is given in the output file if the given material is selected in the layup. No restriction is made on mixing materials within a laminate, other than the total number of materials available. User supplied elastic material properties in Matlab: With the matlab version, user supplied elastic properties are accomplished by editing the files desired, selecting from those entitled sprop7.m through sprop20.m, prior to running the ABD_matlab program. These files have dummy material properties already in place, and you just need to change the values and save the files to get a permanent data file with the modulus and CTE values of your choice, available for use in the program. After editing the file to put in your material properties, just run the program and use the associated number as a choice for the material number. That is, use 8 for the material number if you have edited file sprop8.m. Note that the values in each of these Matlab files must be entered twice, for the two systems of units. User supplied elastic material properties in ABD_mac and ABD_dos: The compiled programs ABD_dos and ABD_mac also let the user input material properties for a total of 4 different materials in addition to the 6 supplied, but these are not saved when the program is exited and must be entered from the keyboard each time the program is run. Just select a material number in the range 7 through 10. If you have not entered the properties previously in this running of the program, you will be prompted for input. Be sure to enter the properties in the system of units being used, as prompted. Maximum size - The number of ply groups in a laminate in the Matlab version is limited only by the Matlab program itself, and for practical purposes can be considered to be unlimited. The ABD_dos and ABD_mac programs were set up to handle a maximum of 50 different ply groups (25 for half of a symmetric layup). Load input and stress calculation - A further major option is that loads can be input, and stresses and strains within all of the plies will be calculated. The usual case is that the stress resultants Nx, Ny, and Nxy and the moment resultants Mx, My, and Mxy are input, along with a delta T temperature from a stress-free temperature (taken as negative for cool-down) if desired. However, it is sometimes useful to input centerline strains and bending curvatures instead of the stress and moment resultants, and this option is also available in the Matlab version. In either case, the stresses and strains are calculated and provided in fiber direction coordinates at the top and bottom surfaces of each ply group. If the layup is symmetric and only stress resultants are input, the same result will be obtained at each of a given ply group top and bottom surface. However if bending effects are involved, these surfaces will have different stress and strain values. The output from the stress calculations tends to be lengthy, and is only very briefly summarized on the screen, so

writing to a file should be selected if the calculation of ply stresses option is to be used. Failure prediction - A further option is to compare the calculated ply stresses and strains with three failure criteria, and to predict the value of the loads at failure. The failure criteria available are maximum fiber direction strain, maximum fiber direction stress, and the Tsai-Wu first ply failure criterion. The maximum fiber direction strain and maximum fiber direction stress criteria are often considered to be appropriate for the prediction of ultimate failure in fiber dominated layups and loadings. The Tsai-Wu first ply failure criterion often predicts matrix cracking. The program calculates a predicted "load ratio" at failure for each ply group surface. Here load ratio is the predicted multiple of the input loads and temperature difference required to produce failure according to the three criteria listed above. Calculating the predicted failure loads at both the top and bottom surface of a given ply group is redundant for cases where the laminate curvatures are zero, but gives the required values when strains vary throughout the laminate, as in bending for example. The program then picks out the worst case from all of the ply surfaces, and summarizes the failure loads predicted. This summary is printed to the screen and to the file. Failure properties - The built in failure properties in ABD_matlab are available in the files fpropAS4.m, fpropIM7.m, fpropEGL.m, fpropSGL.m, fpropT800.m, fpropK49.m. Files are in place in fprop7.m through fprop20.m for user supplied failure properties. The values in any of these files can be edited to suit user preferences, and saved for future use, similar to the description given above for elastic properties. The ABD_dos and ABD_mac compiled programs permit user supplied failure properties for materials 7 through 10, but these are not saved after the program is exited and must be supplied from the keyboard each time the program is run. PROGRAM INPUT o Write a file? - Usually needed to get detailed output. o Choice of SI or USA conventional engineering units. Laminate Description: o Laminate symmetric? o Number of separate ply groups (integer)? Loop over ply groups (only half of layup for symmetric laminates): o Angle in degrees o Number of plies in group (not necessarily an integer, see above) o Material number for this ply group (menu choice, see above) o Do you want the A,B, and D matrices printed to file? usually say yes o Choice of starting over with a new laminate, continuing with load application to the present laminate, or quitting program.

If load application is selected: o Failure prediction also? o The Matlab version gives the option of load and delta T input, or alternatively centerline strain and curvature input (see notes above). o Enter Nx, Ny, Nxy applied stress resultants o Enter Mx, My, Mxy applied moment resultants o Consider thermal stresses? If so, enter delta T (negative for cool down). o If failure prediction option is selected, choose the form of F12 in the Tsai-Wu criterion. Program calculates ply stresses and strains in the fiber directions, and if failure prediction is selected, it predicts the loads at failure for each ply group. It also summarizes the critical ply and predicted failure load, and writes this to the screen and to the file. o Choice of starting over with a new laminate, applying new loads to the present laminate, or quitting the program.