Title: Micromechanics-based intralaminar damage mesomodel for unidirectional fibrous composite laminates

Authors: S. Biswas; P. Nithesh; P.M. Mohite

Addresses: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 208016, India ' Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 208016, India ' Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 208016, India

Abstract: The accurate effective response of a laminated composites under any load depends upon the phenomena taking places at the fibre and matrix levels. The present study focuses on the development of a micromechanics-based intralaminar damage model for unidirectional fibrous composites. The present work uses the LMT damage mesomodel for laminates (DML) proposed by Ladevèze et al. as the base model. Homogenisation theory has been used to relate the micro-macro stresses and strains, which in turn are used to define the onset and propagation criteria through elastic moduli degradation and thermodynamic concepts. In the present work, the intralaminar damage mechanisms like fibre breaking, diffuse damage and matrix cracking have been modelled. The model accurately captures these damage mechanisms showing excellent agreements with experimental results reported in world wide failure exercise. Moreover, this study strengthens the LMT DML by establishing links between meso and micro mechanics of laminated composites.

Keywords: damage mechanics; micromechanics; mesomodelling; laminates; fibre breaking; diffuse damage; matrix cracking; intralaminar damage; unidirectional fibrous composites; stress; strain; elastic moduli degradation; thermodynamics; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTAMM.2014.069456

International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Multiscale Mechanics, 2014 Vol.3 No.1, pp.74 - 98

Received: 20 Aug 2014
Accepted: 02 Mar 2015

Published online: 16 May 2015 *

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