Relevant Research Projects:

S3:MicroMechBulk: Micromechanical finite element simulation of DiCoFRPs
C1:MicroMechInterface: Characterization and Modeling of the Interface Properties of Fiber Reinforced Polymeric Materials

Micromechanical finite element modeling of long fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFTs)

Long fiber reinforced thermoplastics are promising candidates for the mass production of lightweight components. In order to predict their microstructure-dependent properties, a novel procedure for the generation of a representative volume element is developed. The approach mimics the pressing process during the fabrication of the material by compression molding. The model is experimentally validated with respect to different mechanical properties, including elasticity, creep and damage.

Figure 1: Workflow of the micromechanical modeling approach:
µCT scan of a LFT specimen (top),
computer generated fiber structure (middle),
micromechanical simulation (bottom).

Figure 2: Localization of failure within a representative fiber structure
of a long fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) material.