Development and Application of a Progressive Damage Approach to a Grid Structure Representative Volume Element

Grid structures configurations prove to be inherently strong and resilient arrangements for composite materials, without material mismatches (different layer orientations) associated with laminated structures. The absence of material mismatch implies that the grid structures possess inherent resistance to impact damage, delamination and crack propagation. The introduction of grid structures into industry has been hampered by a lack of understanding of their behavior, especially in failure mechanics. In order to improve the knowledge about mechanical behavior including failure of such structures, Finite Element model, of a repetitive volume element (RVE) of grid structure has been defined. Geometrically non-linear structural analyses have been carried out by adopting the research oriented FEM code B2000 in order to simulate the mechanical behavior of the structure. Furthermore, within the B2000 FEM code, a damage progression approach has been implemented in order to simulate the damage on-set and propagation in the selected RVE.