Multiscale modelling of the textile composite materials.

摘要

This paper presents an initial computational multiscale modelling of the fibre-reinforced composite materials.udThis study will constitute an initial building block of the computational framework, developedudfor the DURCOMP (providing confidence in durable composites) EPSRC project, the ultimate goal ofudwhich is the use of advance composites in the construction industry, while concentrating on its majorudlimiting factor ”durability”. The use of multiscale modelling gives directly the macroscopic constitutiveudbehaviour of the structures based on its microscopically heterogeneous representative volume elementud(RVE). The RVE is analysed using the University of Glasgow in-house parallel computational tool,udMoFEM (Mesh Oriented Finite Element Method), which is a C++ based finite-element code. A singleudlayered plain weave is used to model the textile geometry. The geometry of the RVE mainly consists ofudtwo parts, the fibre bundles and matrix, and is modelled with CUBIT, which is a software package forudthe creation of parameterised geometries and meshes. Elliptical cross sections and cubic splines are usedudrespectively to model the cross sections and paths of the fibre bundles, which are the main componentsudof the yarn geometry. In this analysis, transversely isotropic material is introduced for the fibre bundles,udand elastic material is used for the matrix part. The directions of the fibre bundles are calculated usinguda potential flow analysis across the fibre bundles, which are then used to define the principal directionudfor the transversely isotropic material. The macroscopic strain field is applied using linear displacementudboundary conditions. Furthermore, appropriate interface conditions are used between the fibre bundlesudand the matrix.