AN INTEGRATED XFEM-CE APPROACH FOR MODELING MATRIX CRACKS AND DELAMINATION INTERACTIONS IN COMPOSITE LAMINATES WITH ANGLED PLIES

摘要

This paper presents a novel integrated approach using the extended finite element method (XFEM) and cohesive elements (CEs) for modeling three-dimensional (3D) delaminations, matrix cracks and their interactions in progressive failure of composite laminates with angled plies. In the proposed XFEM-CE approach, the matrix cracks are explicitly modeled by the XFEM through nodal enrichment and element partition, and the inter-ply delaminations are modeled by cohesive elements through traction-separation law. An XFEM-based cohesive element enrichment scheme is developed in order to properly model the interactions between the delaminations and matrix cracks. It is critical to enrich the cohesive elements at the local juncture where cracks meet, in order to obtain the correct crack path interactions. The results are presented for cross-ply and angle-ply double cantilever beam specimens with strong explicit matrix crackdelamination interactions. This work presents another significant development of a computational platform for realistic modeling of progressive damage in composites.