An adaptive shell element for explicit dynamic analysis of failure in laminated composites Part 2: Progressive failure and model validation

Abstract To enable modelling of the progressive failure large, laminated composite components under crash or impact loading, it is key to have a numerical methodology that both efficient and numerically robust. A potential way adopt an adaptive method where structure initially represented by equivalent single-layer shell model, which during analysis adaptively transformed high-resolution layer-wise model in areas higher accuracy required. Such was recently developed implemented commercial finite element solver LS-DYNA, aiming at explicit (Framby, Fagerstrom Karlsson: An for dynamic composites - Part 1: Adaptive kinematics implementation, 2020). In current work, extended case interacting inter- intralaminar damage evolution. As part, we demonstrate importance properly regularising described smeared-crack show neglecting account crack-versus-mesh orientation may lead significant errors predicted energy dissipation. We also validate approach against four-point beam bending test with matrix-induced delamination growth, simultaneously capability proposed – lower computational expense replicate results from refined, non-adaptive model.