A mesoscale computational approach to predict ABD matrix of thin woven composites

Abstract

The ABD matrix is a fundamental method to characterize the overall stiffness behavior of laminated composite structures. Although classical laminate theory has been widely used, it has limitations in predicting the ABD matrix for woven composites. To address this issue, this paper presents a mesoscale homogenization approach aimed at computing the ABD matrix for thin woven composites accurately. The mesoscale representative volume element (RVE) of the woven composite is generated using TexGen and imposed with periodic boundary conditions to enforce the Kirchhoff thin plate assumption. The ABD matrix is computed by conducting six separate finite element simulations, each representing one simple in-plane or out-of-plane deformation in a specified direction. Moreover, to facilitate the implementation of the method, an open-source plugin tool was developed within ABAQUS CAE, automating the ABD matrix calculation for various types of woven composites including 2D weave, 3D weave, and multiaxial. The accuracy of the proposed method was validated through benchmark calculations against existing literature results.