Damage onset modelling of curved composite laminates

Abstract

Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites are widely used in industry applications (e.g. aerospace, automotive), which require a high accuracy in terms of damage prediction and identification. Knowing the material behaviour under several loading conditions constitutes the key to understand and predict how failure initiates in FRP composites. The aim of this study is to carry out an analysis of damage onset over a semi-cylindrical structure (E-Glass/Polyester) subjected to impact of a rigid object. The first step in this thesis focuses on assessment and selection of the most relevant failure criteria from the two first exercises of the World Wide Failure Exercise (WWFE-I and II) [1]. Experimental and numerical tests under tensile (study of the material behaviour under 2D stresses) and impact loading (study test under 3D stresses) are carried out on curved specimens. The chosen failure criteria involve different failure modes (fibre and inter-fibre failure modes). The aforementioned criteria were implemented in Abaqus by using the UMAT and VUMAT subroutines. Finally, the experimental and numerical results were compared, in order to define the criterion with the best applicability over a wide range of mechanical applications.