Modeling and homogenization of textile reinforced composites based on the isogeometric analysis

In this contribution, the isogeometric analysis is used to compute the effective material properties of textile reinforced composites. The isogeometric analysis based on non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) provides an efficient approach for numerical modeling because there is no need for a mesh generation. There are further advantages such as the availability of a geometry representation based on NURBS in computer-aided design software and the possibility to apply different refinement methods which do not change the geometry of the numerical model. These properties motivate the combination of the isogeometric analysis with the homogenization method. Therefor, the unit cell model representing the inner architecture of a textile reinforced composite is defined using NURBS. In order to compute the effective mechanical properties of the heterogeneous material, the homogenization method with periodic boundary conditions is applied. Finally, two examples demonstrate the advantages of this approach. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the simulation of textile reinforced concrete using a multi scale approach

Textile reinforced concrete (TRC) is a composite of textile structures made of multi-filament yarns (rovings) within a cementitious matrix. Experimental investigations of textile reinforced concrete specimen show very complex failure mechanisms on different length scales. Therefore mechanical models on the micro, meso and macro scale are introduced. The paper presents a hierarchical material model of TRC on three scales. While on the micro scale the individual filaments of the fiber bundles are distinguished to determine an effective roving behavior, models on the meso scale are used to predict the macroscopic response of the composite material. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the simulation of textile reinforced composites and structures

This paper presents experimental and numerical methods to perform simulations of the mechanical behavior of textile reinforced composites and structures. The first aspect considered refers to the meso-to-macro transition in the framework of the finite element (FE) method. Regarding an effective modelling strategy the Binary Model is used to represent the discretized complex architecture of the composite. To simulate the local response and to compute the macroscopic stress and stiffness undergoing small strain a user routine is developed. The results are transfered to the macroscopic model during the solution process. The second aspect concerns the configuration of the fiber orientation and textile shear deformation in complex structural components. To take these deformations which affect the macroscopic material properties into account they are regarded in a macroscopic FE model. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the macroscopic material behaviour of textile reinforced concrete undertensile loading

This paper concerns with the development of the macroscopic material behaviour of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) using an analytical approach. Therefore the heterogeneous structure of TRC is modelled on the mesoscopic level. The overall material behaviour on the macroscopic level is obtained by means of the homogenisation technique. The analytical approach is based on the micro mechanical solution for a single inclusion according to Eshelby . In extension of this solution for multidirectional reinforced concrete an effective field approximation is used. This approach considers the interactions between the different orientated rovings and the micro cracks in an average sense. For the mechanical modelling of the bond behaviour between roving and matrix after initiating of the macro cracking a slip based bond model with a multiple linear shear stress-slip relation is used. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Computation of the effective nonlinear material behaviour of composites using X-FEM - Analysis of the matrix material behaviour

For a consequent lightweight design the consideration of the nonlinear macroscopic material behaviour of composites, which is amongst others driven by damage and strain–rate effects on the mesoscale, is required. Therefore, the modelling approach using numerical homogenization techniques based on the simulation of representative volume elements which are modelled by the extended finite element method (X–FEM) is currently extended to nonlinear material behaviour. While the glass fibres are assumed to remain linear elastic, a viscoplastic constitutive law accounts for strain–rate dependence and inelastic deformation of the matrix material. This paper describes the process of finding suitable constitutive relations for the polymeric matrix material Polypropylene in the small–strain regime. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Incremental self-consistent approach for the estimation of nonlinear material behavior of metal matrix composites

The application of homogenization methods to compute the macroscopic material response of metal matrix composites is a possibility to save memory and computation time in comparison to full field simulations. This paper deals with a method to extend the self-consistent scheme from linear elasticity theory to nonlinear problems. The idea is to approximate the nonlinear problem by an incrementally linear one. Since time discretization of the deformation process implies a certain linearization, we use the algorithmic consistent tangent operator of the composite for defining the linear comparison material in each time step. This is in contrast to classical incremental self-consistent approaches which use continuum tangent or secant operators. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Asymptotic evaluation of effective complex moduli of fibre‐reinforced viscoelastic composite materials

We propose an asymptotic approach for the evaluation of effective complex moduli of viscoelastic fibre‐reinforced composite materials. Our method is based on the homogenization technique. We start with a non‐trivial expansion of the input plane‐strain boundary value problem by ratios of visco‐elastic constants. This allows to simplify the governing equations to forms analogous to the complex transport problem. Then we apply the asymptotic homogenization method, coming from the original problem on multi‐connected domain to the cell problem, defined on a unit cell of the periodic structure. For the analytical solution of the cell problem we apply the boundary perturbation technique, the asymptotic expansion by a distance between two neighbouring fibres and the method of two‐point Padé approximants. As results we derive uniform analytical representations for effective complex moduli, valid for all values of the components volume fractions and properties.     

Identification of the lamination stack's behavior simulated with a multi-scale homogenization using a progressive contact formulation

The influence of the lamination stack on the mechanical behavior of an electrical motor is significant, especially for lightweight designs. Information about the stack's behavior is relevant for a proper calculation of the whole motor. This behavior is dependent on the contact between the single sheets resulting from the roughness and the behavior of the roughness peaks. The normal behavior is an elasto-plastic and progressive one, which results mainly of the number of roughness peaks in contact. Whereas the tangential micro-slip behavior is dependent on the single contacts and the friction coefficient. Both behaviors can be described by models and thus it is possible to calculate the behavior of a whole stack using an homogenization based on representative volume elements. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Modeling viscoelastic response of particulate polymeric composites with high volume fractions of fillers

A generalized self-consistent method is extended to particulate viscoelastic composites with elastomeric matrices and high volume fractions of elastic inclusions. It is shown that the effective bulk modulus of a composite coincides with the bulk modulus of particles. A quadratic operator equation is derived for an analog of the effective shear relaxation kernel. This equation is explicitly solved using the Laplace transform method. The influence of material and geometrical parameters of a composite on its effective viscoelastic moduli is analyzed numerically.     

An approach to solving the one-dimensional problem on compression of a viscoelastic layer dispersedly reinforced with elastic inclusions

A simplified approach to investigating the combined effect of a dispersed filler with different elastic characteristics, physical nonlinearity, and hereditary properties, and of temperature and moisture on the compression of a rectilinear layer is proposed. Various combinations of filler concentration, temperature, and moisture are considered. The investigation is performed in two variants. In the first one, it is assumed that the prevailing characteristics are the instantaneous ones; in the second variant, the deformation is mainly determined by the long-term material characteristics. The instantaneous deformation diagram is assumed nonlinear. For both the variants, analytical relations for the degree of compression as a function of initial parameters (in particular, of initial concentration of the rigid inclusions and their relative rigidity) are obtained. The time-dependent inclusion concentration diagrams are constructed for different levels of load, temperature, and moisture. Graphically, effects of the rigid inclusions and temperature on deformation of the layer are revealed. The combinations of filler concentration and temperature are determined at which their effects on compression of the layer annihilate each other. Analytical relations for the effect of moisture on compression of the dispersedly re in forced layer are obtained, and the corresponding calculated diagrams are presented. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 441-456, May-June, 2009. An erratum to this article can be found at