A novel method for fatigue delamination simulation in composite laminates. (18th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tao, Chongcong; Qiu, Jinhao; Yao, Weixing; Ji, Hongli
• Is Part Of: Composites science and technology. Volume 128(2016)
• Page Start: 104
• Page End: 115
• Publication Date: 2016-05-18
• Subjects: Fatigue -- Delamination -- FEM -- Mesh sensitivity; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Fibrous composites; Periodicals; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2016.03.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-3538

Abstract

Abstract: This paper presents a FEM model for the simulation of delamination in composite materials under fatigue loads using extended cohesive interface elements. A virtual fatigue damage variable is proposed to continually locate the crack tip elements with local element information only. The proposed method allows for a fully automatic identification of crack tip elements without any global information. Once crack tip elements are identified, the fatigue damage accumulation is determined by a modified Paris-law with a strain energy release rate correction method to reduce mesh sensitivity. The predicted delamination growth rates of different mesh sizes were compared with experimental results from open literature using a mode-I Double Cantilever Beam specimen and a mode-II 4-point End Notch Flexure specimen respectively. In all cases good agreement was obtained with weak mesh dependency.