Benchmarking of composite progressive damage analysis methods: The background

Abstract

This article introduces an Air Force Research Laboratory study, which performed static and fatigue benchmark exercises for nine composite progressive damage analysis methods. Air Force Research Laboratory is interested in exploring the feasibility of these progressive damage analysis methods to predict composite damage growth for the purposes of improved durability and damage tolerance analysis of composite aircraft structure. This article gives the background, goals, motivation, and guiding principles of the study and provides brief descriptions of the teams that participated and the tools that were utilized.