A meso/micro-mechanical model for damage progression in glass-fiber/epoxy cross-ply laminates by finite-element analysis

A three-dimensional multi-cell meso/micro-mechanical finite-element model h as been developed for the prediction of the overall mechanical behavior of a [0.90(3),O](T) glass-fiber/epoxy laminate, and for the study of damage me chanisms in fiber-reinforced polymer laminates. The epoxy matrix is represe nted by a non-linear viscoelastic constitutive model, which was incorporate d into the finite-element analysis code, ADINA, through the user-defined su broutine. In addition, a damage criterion for the epoxy matrix is introduce d into the finite-element model. Numerical results from the finite-element analysis are compared with experimental data, and it is found that both the predicted overall stress/strain response and the prediction of the initiat ion and propagation of the damage are in good agreement with the experiment al results. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.