Research Area Simulation - S1:Damage and fracture mechanics

Computational analysis of failure modes in CoDiCo SMC materials

Advisors: Seelig (IFM), Altenhof (UoW)


Theoretical-numerical investigations of damage mechanisms and failure modes in DiCo and CoDiCo SMC materials are the subject of the second generation of S1. Emphasis is put on the interaction of specific microscale mechanisms (fiber debonding / breakage, matrix cracking) and their cooperative effects on coarser length scales. The identification of parameters and the validation of results are  scheduled in cooperation with C1, C2 and C3. Detailed microscale analyses involving cohesive models provide insight into the validity of assumptions made by incorporating damage into mean-field models (S2). Effective models for crack formation on the macroscale, accounting for orientation dependent fiber bridging effects, are developed in order to assess the structural integrity under severe loading conditions. On the mesoscopic level, damage initiation at reinforcements of continuous fibers are investigated, utilizing cohesive models and concepts of finite fracture mechanics in interaction with S3. This serves as input for studying the effects of eigenstresses due to curing and thermal shrinkage (S4) as well as their influence on the properties of the demonstrator part (D2).

 

Figure: Single fiber debonding: Stress distribution at debonded fiber end