COMPUTATIONAL MODELS FOR LAMINATED COMPOSITES

Increasing application of fiber reinforced composites in lightweight c onstructions causes a demand for reliable computational models. Differ ent intentions require different models some of which are screened in the following. Fiber and matrix models are mostly used to predict homo genized elastic properties, some micromechanical problems are treated in addition. Standard applications in structural analysis are based on homogeneous two-dimensional models. Advantages and limitations of dif ferent laminatewise approximations are pointed out. Layerwise approxim ations are not so popular as yet; special aspects of some of them are discussed. The use of three-dimensional models is limited because of t heir high computational cost. As a typical example the free edge effec t is examined.