Research Area Simulation - S3:MicroMechBulk

Micromechanical finite element simulations of CoFRP, DiCoFRP and CoDiCoFRP
Advisors: Böhlke (ITM), Wood (UWO)


This research project focuses on simulation-assisted analysis of material behavior of continuous-discontinuous long fiber reinforced thermoset materials. A significant research objective is the description of the nonlinear material behavior of the matrix and fiber constituents on mesoscale, considering an interface approach. Thus, modeling the thermomechanical and viscoelastic behavior of the matrix material as well as the microstructure is of essential importance. Both, real and virtual microstructure data are accounted by the microstructure model. A virtual approach leads to a better understanding of the structure-property relationship on microscale of continuous-discontinuous fiber reinforced composite. In this context, statistical analysis of orientation data and identification of microstructure correlated stress and strain statistics are required. Mean field methods are extended, considering material modeling in order to predict effective material properties of the composite. Based on a finite element description local stress and strain fields of continuous and discontinuous as well as continuous-discontinuous reinforced material under real macroscopic thermo-mechanical loading are obtained. Furthermore, the simulation routines will consider curing induced eigenstresses and contain mechanisms for deformation and failure on the microscale. Experimental viscoelastic characterization of continuous and discontinuous fiber reinforced polymer is evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis with GABO Eplexor 500 N.

Fig. 1: Representative volume element of the microstructure containing long fibers




Fig. 2: Testing machine GABO Eplexor 500 N