Micromechanical study of multiple transverse cracking in cross-ply fiber-reinforced laminates

This paper integrates an efficient numerical framework with robust and accurate constitutive equations to study transverse behavior and multiple cracking of cross-ply fiber-reinforced composite laminates. A nonlinear cohesive interface-enriched generalized finite element method is used to simulate the realistic microstructural representation of the laminate. The considered constitutive equations include elastic, elasto-plastic damage model, and cohesive zone model to simulate fibers, matrix, and fiber/matrix interfaces, respectively. The 0 degrees plies are modeled as a transversely isotropic elastic material. The 90 degrees ply's microstructural representation is generated based on an optical microscope image, containing more than five thousand fibers. The developed framework is validated versus the experimental results of several single-90 degrees ply specimens. Then, the effects of fiber/matrix cohesive interface properties, matrix stiffness, and bounding plies stiffness on the transverse crack density, delamination, and intra-ply stress redistribution are investigated. The correlation between different stages of failure and the studied parameters are also presented and discussed.