Shell-Beam micromechanical models to improve the efficiency of simulations of composites under longitudinal compression
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Bikos, D
Poh, F
Trask, RS
Robinson, P
Pimenta, S
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The variability of fibre paths in composite microstructures is a key parameter influencing their compressive behaviour; however, despite numerous developments, no micromechanical finite element simulation has represented enough fibres to be statistically representative of this variability. This paper proposes and develops a methodology which replaces the computationally-expensive continuum 3D finite elements with shells and beams (SB) to simulate explicitly the matrix and the fibres in real microstructures of composites under longitudinal compression. The SB methodology is illustrated in simulations using fibre paths from micro-computed tomography of real microstructures. The SB methodology shows a reduction in simulation time over 99.9% compared to the conventional continuum approach; the accuracy of the compressive strength and kinking direction predicted by the SB methodology were at least 94% and 97% respectively (compared to the continuum approach). This new proposed micromechanical simulation methodology can advance the state of the art by efficiently capturing the effect of microstructural imperfections on the performance of composites under longitudinal compression.
Date Issued
2025-01-01
Date Acceptance
2024-12-22
Citation
Composite Structures, 2025, 354
ISSN
0263-8223
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Composite Structures
Volume
354
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
10.1016/j.compstruct.2024.118830
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
118830
Date Publish Online
2024-12-25