Component-wise analysis of laminated anisotropic composites

This paper proposes a one-dimensional (1D) refined formulation for the analysis of laminated composites which can model single fibers and related matrices, layers and multilayers. Models built by means of an arbitrary combination of these four components lead to a component-wise analysis. Different scales can be used in different portions of the structure and this leads to a global–local approach. In this work, computational models were developed in the framework of finite element approximations. The 1D FE formulation used has hierarchical features, that is, 3D stress/strain fields can be detected by increasing the order of the 1D model used. The Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF) was exploited to obtain advanced displacement-based theories where the order of the unknown variables over the cross-section is a free parameter of the formulation. Taylor- and Lagrange-type polynomials were used to interpolate the displacement field over the element cross-section. Lagrange polynomials permitted the use of only pure displacements as unknown variables. The related finite element led straightforwardly to the assembly of the stiffness matrices at the structural element interfaces (matrix-to-fiber, matrix-to-layer, layer-to-layer etc). Preliminary assessments with solid model results are proposed in this paper; various numerical examples were carried out on cross-ply symmetrical fiber-reinforced laminates [0/90/0] and a more complex composite C-shaped model. The examples show that the proposed models can analyze laminated structures by combining fibers, matrices, layers and multilayers and by referring to a unique structural finite element formulation.