A strain-gradient formulation for fiber reinforced polymers: Hybrid phase-field model for porous-ductile fracture

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid phase-field model combined with a second-gradient theory to analyze ductile and brittle fracture in fiber reinforced polymers, accounting for microstructural effects and failure sequences.

Contribution

It develops a novel numerical framework integrating phase-field fracture with higher-order gradient effects and a temperature-dependent void growth model for composite materials.

Findings

Successfully models ductile and brittle fracture in fiber reinforced polymers.

Captures the influence of microstructure and failure sequences on mechanical response.

Provides a comprehensive tool for predicting failure modes in composite materials.

Abstract

A novel numerical approach to analyze the mechanical behavior within composite materials including the inelastic regime up to final failure is presented. Therefore, a second-gradient theory is combined with phase-field methods to fracture. In particular, we assume that the polymeric matrix material undergoes ductile fracture, whereas continuously embedded fibers undergo brittle fracture as it is typical e.g. for roving glass reinforced thermoplastics. A hybrid phase-field approach is developed and applied along with a modified Gurson-Tvergaard-Needelman GTN-type plasticity model accounting for a temperature-dependent growth of voids on microscale. The mechanical response of the arising microstructure of the woven fabric gives rise to additional higher-order terms, representing homogenized bending contributions of the fibers. Eventually, a series of tests is conducted for this physically comprehensive multifield formulation to investigate different kinds and sequences of failure within long fiber reinforced polymers.