Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 119585 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Composite Structures |
| Volume | 373 |
| Early online date | 13 Sept 2025 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2025 |
Abstract
Delamination is a frequent and critical type of damage that occurs in composite structures under static and fatigue loading. This work presents a novel method to derive a nonlinear traction–separation law (TSL) for a cohesive zone model (CZM) used for delamination simulations. By solving an ordinary differential equation (ODE) resulting from the energy balance of the cohesive zone, a nonlinear TSL is directly derived from R-curves that were determined experimentally in standard quasi-static double cantilever beam (DCB) tests. A superimposed conventional bilinear TSL is required to match the initial energy release rate of the R-curves. This bilinear TSL is intended to model brittle fracture while the nonlinear part models the R-curve effects mainly caused by fiber bridging. In order to consider R-curve effects under fatigue loading conditions as well, an established fatigue CZM is embedded into both parts of the TSL using the same set of four required input parameters. The fatigue parameters are determined inversely by means of cyclic DCB tests. It is demonstrated that the numerical model is able to reproduce the force–displacement curves of the conducted quasi-static DCB tests with a higher accuracy, if the TSL is derived by the new method instead of the preexisting and commonly used J-integral approach. Furthermore, the model is able to reproduce experimental data from conducted cyclic DCB test with a limited number of input parameters which significantly decreases the effort of inverse parameter identification.
Keywords
- Cohesive zone model, Delamination, Fatigue damage, Fiber bridging, Fracture resistance curve
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Ceramics and Composites
- Engineering(all)
- Civil and Structural Engineering
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In: Composite Structures, Vol. 373, 119585, 01.12.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficient derivation of a nonlinear cohesive bridging law for numerical delamination simulations under static and fatigue loading
AU - Hacker, G.
AU - Just, G.
AU - Scheffler, S.
AU - Koch, I.
AU - Gude, M.
AU - Rolfes, R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
PY - 2025/12/1
Y1 - 2025/12/1
N2 - Delamination is a frequent and critical type of damage that occurs in composite structures under static and fatigue loading. This work presents a novel method to derive a nonlinear traction–separation law (TSL) for a cohesive zone model (CZM) used for delamination simulations. By solving an ordinary differential equation (ODE) resulting from the energy balance of the cohesive zone, a nonlinear TSL is directly derived from R-curves that were determined experimentally in standard quasi-static double cantilever beam (DCB) tests. A superimposed conventional bilinear TSL is required to match the initial energy release rate of the R-curves. This bilinear TSL is intended to model brittle fracture while the nonlinear part models the R-curve effects mainly caused by fiber bridging. In order to consider R-curve effects under fatigue loading conditions as well, an established fatigue CZM is embedded into both parts of the TSL using the same set of four required input parameters. The fatigue parameters are determined inversely by means of cyclic DCB tests. It is demonstrated that the numerical model is able to reproduce the force–displacement curves of the conducted quasi-static DCB tests with a higher accuracy, if the TSL is derived by the new method instead of the preexisting and commonly used J-integral approach. Furthermore, the model is able to reproduce experimental data from conducted cyclic DCB test with a limited number of input parameters which significantly decreases the effort of inverse parameter identification.
AB - Delamination is a frequent and critical type of damage that occurs in composite structures under static and fatigue loading. This work presents a novel method to derive a nonlinear traction–separation law (TSL) for a cohesive zone model (CZM) used for delamination simulations. By solving an ordinary differential equation (ODE) resulting from the energy balance of the cohesive zone, a nonlinear TSL is directly derived from R-curves that were determined experimentally in standard quasi-static double cantilever beam (DCB) tests. A superimposed conventional bilinear TSL is required to match the initial energy release rate of the R-curves. This bilinear TSL is intended to model brittle fracture while the nonlinear part models the R-curve effects mainly caused by fiber bridging. In order to consider R-curve effects under fatigue loading conditions as well, an established fatigue CZM is embedded into both parts of the TSL using the same set of four required input parameters. The fatigue parameters are determined inversely by means of cyclic DCB tests. It is demonstrated that the numerical model is able to reproduce the force–displacement curves of the conducted quasi-static DCB tests with a higher accuracy, if the TSL is derived by the new method instead of the preexisting and commonly used J-integral approach. Furthermore, the model is able to reproduce experimental data from conducted cyclic DCB test with a limited number of input parameters which significantly decreases the effort of inverse parameter identification.
KW - Cohesive zone model
KW - Delamination
KW - Fatigue damage
KW - Fiber bridging
KW - Fracture resistance curve
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105015995529&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.compstruct.2025.119585
DO - 10.1016/j.compstruct.2025.119585
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105015995529
VL - 373
JO - Composite Structures
JF - Composite Structures
SN - 0263-8223
M1 - 119585
ER -