High-Fidelity Analyses of Composites at Various Length Scales with Discrete Damage Representations

Abstract

High-fidelity strength prediction of composites requires advanced numerical methods that can explicitly resolve the multiple damage processes and their nonlinear coupling at various scales. Nonlinear fracture models such as cohesive zone models are critical for damage descriptions and need to be properly embedded in a numerical framework so that correct coupling between different damage process zones can be guaranteed. This paper reviews the recent developments in advanced numerical methods that have the potential to address the important issue of progressive damage evolution in composites. Candidate FE-based numerical methods, including X-FEM, A-FEM, and phantom node methods, are reviewed and their capabilities in handling the multiple damage coupling in composites are assessed. Successful simulations of composites at various scales using the framework of A-FEM are presented and the numerical and material issues associated with these high-fidelity analyses are highlighted. Finally, we address the question of how to integrate all these different scale analyses into a single multiscale numerical framework by using the Arlequin coupling method.