A Numerical Procedure for Elasticity and Failure Behavior Prediction of Textile-Reinforced Composite Materials

Abstract

A computer-aided design tool and a numerical procedure allowing prediction of the behavior of textile-reinforced composites are presented in this paper. Specifying a geometrical description, the software can be used for both simple and complex textile structures. It also aims to provide a basis for subsequent mechanical analysis. Fabric unit cells are regarded as three-dimensional aggregates of subcells to which we apply a multi-scale energetical approach. First, elements to validate the elastic prediction are provided by results obtained on a woven fabric material. The progressive failure procedure is validated by comparisons between simulation and experiments on 3D braided composites.