Development of a robust numerical tool to analyze progressive matrix cracking damage mechanism in composite laminates

Development of a robust numerical tool to analyze progressive matrix cracking damage mechanism in composite laminates

In this paper, a robust numerical tool is developed to predict progressive matrix cracking evolution in each layer of general symmetric laminates. The tool can be used to analyze plain laminates with any stacking sequence and number of layers under tensile/shear loading condition. In this way, the stress transfer damage model is used to find the degradation of mechanical properties and damage parameters of a unit cell. The crack density is used as the only state variable which controls the damage state. An energy-based evolution law is developed and the reduced mechanical properties and the strain tensor are used to calculate the strain energy release rate. The damage constitute law is implemented at integration points. A user-defined element routine (UEL) is developed in commercial software using full layer-wise plate theory. According to the finite element (FE) basement of the model, it can be used to analyze the laminates with complex geometry and boundary conditions. The effect of different parameters on the accuracy of results and concurrent progressive damage analyses in different layers of various laminates are investigated and the results are presented.