A numerical framework for simulating progressive failure in composite laminates under high-cycle fatigue loading

In this work, a recently proposed high-cycle fatigue cohesive zone model, which covers crack initiation and propagation with limited input parameters, is embedded in a robust and efficient numerical framework for simulating progressive failure in composite laminates under fatigue loading. The fatigue cohesive zone model is enhanced with an implicit time integration scheme of the fatigue damage variable which allows for larger cycle increments and more efficient analyses. The method is combined with an adaptive strategy for determining the cycle increment based on global convergence rates. Moreover, a consistent material tangent stiffness matrix has been derived by fully linearizing the underlying mixed-mode quasi-static model and the fatigue damage update. The enhanced fatigue cohesive zone model is used to describe matrix cracking and delamination in laminates. In order to allow for matrix cracks to initiate at arbitrary locations and to avoid complex and costly mesh generation, the phantom node version of the eXtended finite element method (XFEM) is employed. For the insertion of new crack segments, an XFEM fatigue crack insertion criterion is presented, which is consistent with the fatigue cohesive zone formulation. It is shown with numerical examples that the improved fatigue damage update enhances the accuracy, efficiency and robustness of the numerical simulations significantly. The numerical framework is applied to the simulation of progressive fatigue failure in an open-hole [±45]-laminate. It is demonstrated that the numerical model is capable of accurately and efficiently simulating the complete failure process from distributed damage to localized failure.