Formulation, identification and use of interface models in the numerical analysis of composite delamination

Abstract

Interface models which relate tractions to displacement jumps and which can be used to simulate fracture processes are formulated. The formulation and identification of the models are pursued with particular reference to the analysis of composite delamination. The difficulties concerning the use of interface models in numerical analyses are discussed. A numerical integration method for the interface constitutive laws is proposed, and the related consistent tangent modulus is derived. An algorithm for the structural analysis in the presence of softening interfaces which makes use of a local control condition is presented.