Extension of level set model to the numerical modeling of multifront delamination problems for composite laminates
Résumé
For numerical simulation of delamination, the approach used by the industry usually consists in using interface elements such as cohesive ones. This can be time consuming or lead to mesh size problems and currently limits the dimension of parts that can be optimized in pre-design stage of industrial projects.To avoid that, an interesting approach was proposed by F.P. van der Meer et al. [1] . First ,they use an implicit description of the delamination front that does not depend on the mesh (based on a level-set field). And second they assume that the cohesive zone reduces to a line and use anexplicit energy-based criterion from fracture mechanics to drive crack growth. This model showed good results in agreement with cohesive zone ones for the 2D case of a 2-ply carbon-epoxy membrane submitted to tension with a unique delamination front[1].We will show that it can be extended to the case of multifront delamination problems (see e.g. in Figure1). Comparisons to numerical simulations with cohesive elements will be done.