Comparison among different modeling techniques of 3D micromechanical modeling of damage in unidirectional composites

Damage mechanical behaviors of glass fiber reinforced composites for wind energy applications are studied using numerical method. Several different modeling techniques of damage initiation and propagation are presented. Unit cell models with single fiber and with multi-fiber are modeled by cohesive element model, surfacebased cohesive model and extended finite element method (XFEM), respectively. These modeling approaches are compared and led to very close results. Based on the comparison of the strong sides of different modeling techniques, the combination of them is implemented in the same cell models, i.e., different damageable parts in composites (matrix cracks, fiber/matrix interface damage and fiber fracture) are modeled by different modeling techniques. Results indicated that they can be simultaneously used successfully.