Nonlinear viscoelastic micromechanical analysis of fibre-reinforced polymer laminates with damage evolution (Q1777186)

Using the finite element method, the authors analyze the title micromechanical model under off-axis loading. They employ a three-dimensional periodic unit cell with the matrix described by a nonlinear viscoelastic model and with the fiber described by an elastic one. The authors model the matrix cracking by smeared crack method which permits a crack description in terms of stress-strain relations and stiffness reduction in particular orientations. The micromechanical analysis features material nonlinearity, damage initiations and growth, and multiaxial loading. The numerical results reveal the local and global response of the laminate, including the damage mechanism. The authors state that their predictions are in good agreement with results performed on a similar composite system.