MAC LAM software is a friendly tool which makes possible to carry out a mechanical analysis of composite materials and multi-layered structures. MAC LAM has three modules (see Figure 1):

  1. The first one, called “Micromechanics”, lets us predict the elastic properties of a composite material with parallel fibers.
  2. The second one, called “Laminates”, calculates the mechanical properties of a multi-layered material made up of orthotropic layers. Calculations are based on the classical laminates theory [1]. The module is able to determine stiffness matrixes, apparent thermal and hygroscopic expansion coefficients, stresses in the layers, failure envelopes, etc.
  3. The last module, called “DEILAM”, makes possible to calculate the interfacial stresses at the interfaces between the layers of a multi-layered material with any boundary conditions at the edges. This module is based on [2] and represents a powerful tool for analyzing the edges effects.

Figure 1. The three modules of MAC LAM

MAC LAM has libraries of isotropic materials, composite materials, laminates and loads which make easier to enter the data and turn the software into a more dynamic tool.

Furthermore, MAC LAM makes possible to work with both measure systems used all over the world: the International System of Units (I.S.) and the English Metric System.

References

[1] R.M. Jones, “Mechanics of composite materials”, second edition, Taylor & Francis, USA, 1999.

[2] A. Diaz Diaz, J.F. Caron, R.P. Carreira, “Software application for evaluating interfacial stresses in inelastic symmetrical laminates with free edges”, Journal of Composite Structures, 58, 195-208, 2002

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Cinencia y Tecnología) for their financial support.

The authors also appreciate the development support from Mr. Rubén Castañeda Balderas and Rigoberto Gameros Caballero.

Finally we are grateful to CIMAV (Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados) and the ENPC (Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées) for their cooperation.