Flexural failure of notched curved composite beams

An analytical technique was developed to predict the tensile strength of notched curved composite beams loaded in bending. Based upon the Damage Zone Model (DZM), the current analysis was applied to notched curved beams with J cross sections. Similar sections composed of a long, discontinuous fiber laminate were tested to failure in four point bend. Predicted and experimental values were compared and results discussed. Discrepancies may be due to out-of-plane deformations observed during the experiments which are not accounted for in the current analysis.