Accurate and Computationally Economical Analysis Tool for Layered Composites

In this paper a novel region-by-region modeling approach for layered composite has been proposed. With this approach a Layerwise model (3D model) and equivalent single layer(2D Model) or intermediate (sublaminate) model can be put in any region of the domain. The three dimensional effects, in general, are localized at cutout boundaries, crack front, delaminated or damaged zones, re-entrant corners, free edges etc. It is shown that the Layerwise model is very accurate in such situations but very costly, computationally. Away from these structural details the equivalent or intermediate models are accurate when equilibrium based postprocessing is used for transverse stress components. It is shown that by judiciously using Layerwise model in the regions where solution is predominantly three dimensional in nature, and lower order models elsewhere, same accuracy (as that of Layerwise model) can be achieved at a significantly lower cost. A simple explicit modeling error indicator based on interelement jumps is used to adaptively select the models in the domain.