Global-local multi-field models for the stress analysis of laminated structures

Area of Science:

• Composite Materials Science
• Computational Mechanics
• Multi-physics Simulation

Background:

• Composite materials are susceptible to stress concentrations, impacting their durability.
• Accurate prediction of stress is crucial for assessing the performance and lifespan of composite structures.
• Existing models may lack the flexibility to handle diverse kinematic assumptions and multi-physics interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an innovative numerical model for predicting stress concentrations in composite materials.
• To develop a unified formulation capable of handling various kinematic models in one, two, and three dimensions.
• To investigate stress concentrations under hygro-thermo-elastic loading conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Carrera unified formulation for a flexible and compact numerical approach.
• Implemented both equivalent single-layer and layer-wise models for comprehensive analysis.
• Developed a hygro-thermo-elastic multi-physics formulation.
• Employed an innovative global-local analysis technique to optimize computational efficiency.

Main Results:

• The model successfully predicts stress concentrations in composite materials under various configurations.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of the unified formulation across different dimensionalities and kinematic models.
• Showcased the capability to analyze the impact of mechanical, thermal, and hygroscopic loads.
• Validated the efficiency and accuracy of the global-local analysis technique.

Conclusions:

• The presented numerical model offers a robust and efficient tool for analyzing stress concentrations in composites.
• The unified formulation and global-local approach provide significant advantages in computational mechanics.
• This work contributes to understanding the ageing and durability of composite materials under complex environmental conditions.