Computationally efficient interface modeling in fiber-reinforced composites through displacement-based component-wise approach

The paper presents a computationally efficient numerical tool for interface modeling in fiber-reinforced composite structures. The proposed numerical tool is part of a computational platform built for virtual testing of composites developed within the scheme of the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), a unified hierarchical formulation to generate refined structural theories through a variable kinematic description. In this work, Lagrange-type polynomials (LE) are used to interpolate the displacement field over the cross-section leading to a purely displacement-based refined one-dimensional model. The Component-Wise modeling (CW), an approach that stems out of LE models, is utilized to model various components of composite structures across scales, e.g., fiber, matrix, laminae and laminates. A class of higher-order cohesive elements is implemented within the CW modeling framework for simulating interfacial fracture mechanics problems. Zero thickness cohesive cross-section elements are introduced along interface of various components of composite materials and structures. A dissipation-based arc-length scheme is implemented within the CUF framework to trace the equilibrium path. The arc-length constraint introduced is based on the energy dissipated during the delamination process. The numerical example demonstrates the effectiveness of the higher-order beam models