Delamination Buckling and Crack Propagation Simulations in Fiber-Metal Laminates Using xFEM and Cohesive Elements

Davide De Cicco,Farid Taheri

doi:10.3390/app8122440

Abstract

Simulation of fracture in fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) and hybrid composites is a challenging task. This paper investigates the potential of combining the extended finite element method (xFEM) and cohesive zone method (CZM), available through LS-DYNA commercial finite element software, for effectively modeling delamination buckling and crack propagation in fiber metal laminates (FML). The investigation includes modeling the response of the standard double cantilever beam test specimen, and delamination-buckling of a 3D-FML under axial impact loading. It is shown that the adopted approach could effectively simulate the complex state of crack propagation in such materials, which involves crack propagation within the adhesive layer along the interface, and its diversion from one interface to the other. The corroboration of the numerical predictions and actual experimental observations is also demonstrated. In addition, the limitations of these numerical methodologies are discussed.

Highlights

The effective assessment of performances of today’s lightweight hybrid materials and complex structural components made by such materials requires cost-effective numerical methodologies and approaches
It is noted that the double cantilever beam (DCB) tests were conducted under static loading scenario, which differs from the loading states our
Note that LS-DYNA’s post-processor exhibits the crack propagation path captured by XFEM models by a change in the elements’ color, while the deleted-element scheme exhibits the path in the case of COHESIVE models

Summary

Introduction

The effective assessment of performances of today’s lightweight hybrid materials and complex structural components made by such materials requires cost-effective numerical methodologies and approaches. The currently available advanced numerical methods and simulation techniques are considered as effective and efficient tools for assessing the response of materials, engineering components and structures, and their certification. The main techniques used to simulate fracture are the (i) element erosion approach,. The element erosion approach entails deleting elements based on an appropriate stress or strain criterion, leading to the formation of a crack path. It is the simplest of the mentioned methods but is significantly mesh-dependent, often lacking accuracy [1]

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