A finite element model for failure analysis of 3D braided composites

The analysis of three-dimensional (3D) braided composites is more difficult due to its complex microstructure. A new type of finite element method (FEM) is developed to predict the local stress and strength within 3D braided composites under the three-dimensional mechanical loading. To verify the present method, the material properties predicted in this paper are compared with the previous work. By using the model, the stress components within a unit cell are obtained and used to analyze the strength of 3D braided composites.