109 - SIMULATION AND VALIDATION OF DELAMINATION PROPAGATION AND MIGRATION IN COMPOSITE PANELS SUBJECTED TO OUT-OF-PLANE BENDING (CompTest 2025)
Delamination is one of the most critical failure modes of composite materials, and it occurs when the constitutive layers separate due to excessive loads or internal defects. Understanding delamination mechanisms and predicting its onset and propagation are crucial to improving composite design and performance. Moreover, delamination can migrate to different interfaces, which must also be predicted for a safe design. Two different numerical methods are generally employed for delamination predictions: Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) [2] and Cohesive Zone Modelling (CZM). VCCT has its roots in Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics [1], and it computes the Strain Energy Release Rate (SERR) at the delamination front, quantifying the energy released during crack formation. Delamination begins when the local SERR exceeds the material’s fracture toughness. On the other hand, CZM models the interfacial behaviour between surfaces in contact using a traction-separation law to simulate potential delamination propagation. This study evaluates the applicability and performance of different simulation approaches to model delamination propagation in a non-standard experimental case study.
Date
21.05.2025.
Keywords
Composites, Delamination, Finite Element Analysis, VCCT, Cohesive Contact
