Numerical optimization approach to modelling delamination and buckling of geometrically constrained structures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Structural Analysis

Background:

• Delamination in laminate materials is a critical concern in engineering, potentially impairing material strength.
• Carton-board, a laminate material, is creased to facilitate folding, but its nonlinear properties complicate understanding of the creasing and folding process.
• Existing methods struggle to accurately model the complex interactions during creasing and folding of such materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simplified approach for simulating delamination during the buckling of laminate materials.
• To accurately model the effects of creasing and folding on carton-board's structural integrity.
• To provide a simulation that reproduces observed buckling-delamination phenomena and torque-rotation relationships.

Main Methods:

• A simplified energy minimization approach was extended to incorporate delamination effects.
• The method was applied to model the behavior of creased laminate materials, specifically carton-board.
• Simulations were performed to analyze the buckling-delamination process and the resulting torque-rotation behavior.

Main Results:

• The proposed simplified method successfully simulates buckling-delamination in laminate materials.
• The simulation accurately reproduces the torque-rotation relationship observed in practical folding scenarios.
• The approach provides insights into the material behavior during the weakening and folding processes.

Conclusions:

• The simplified energy minimization method offers an effective way to study delamination in creased laminate materials.
• This research enhances the understanding of material behavior during manufacturing processes like creasing and folding.
• The findings are applicable to various engineering sectors dealing with laminate material structures and folding operations.