Modeling delamination migration in cross-ply tape laminates

A novel modeling approach is proposed that combines the Floating Node Method (FNM) with the Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) to capture delamination migration in cross-ply tape laminates. Delamination migration is the damage process by which a delamination propagating at an interface relocates to a different interface via one or multiple matrix cracks. In the approach proposed, delamination, matrix cracking, and their interaction, are represented in a single element. The kinematics of both delamination and matrix cracks are represented explicitly. Migration onset location, and subsequent path, are determined as part of the solution, in a mesh-independent fashion. Delamination growth, matrix cracking, and migration onset, are all modeled using fracture mechanics based failure and migration criteria. The proposed approach is applied to the modeling of the Delamination Migration (DM) test, showing good qualitative and quantitative agreement with experiments.