A dual homogenization and finite element approach for material characterization of textile composites

A novel procedure for predicting the effective nonlinear elastic moduli of textile composites through a combined approach of the homogenization method and the finite element formulation is presented. The homogenization method is first applied to investigate the meso-microscopic material behavior of a single fiber yarn based on the properties of the constituent phases. The obtained results are compared to existing analytical and experimental results to validate the homogenization method. Very good agreements have been obtained. A unit cell is then built to enclose the characteristic periodic pattern in the textile composites. Various numerical tests such as uni-axial and bi-axial extension and trellising tests are performed by 3D finite element analysis on the unit cell. Characteristic behaviors of force versus displacement are obtained. Meanwhile, trial mechanical elastic constants are imposed on a four-node shell element with the same outer size as the unit cell to match the force-displacement curves. The effective nonlinear mechanical stiffness tensor is thus obtained numerically as functions of elemental strains. The procedure is exemplified on a plain weave glass composite and is validated by comparing to experimental data. Using the proposed approach, the nonlinear behavior of textile composites can be anticipated accurately and efficiently.