Modelling of fibre-reinforced composites via fibre super-elements

The reduction of computational effort for representative micro-mechanical models of fibre-reinforced composites is achieved by using an approach with specialised fibre super-elements applied as an overlay mesh. The super-element represents fibre and fibre-matrix interface behaviour, as well as the pull-out process in the fibre channel in a homogenised manner. By solving the embedded problem for de-bonded fibres at the fibre element via the FE2 method, a numerically efficient reduced-order model is obtained. Linear constraints are applied to separate the discretisation conditions of the matrix mesh from those of the fibre mesh. Hence, two kinematically coupled meshes of significantly fewer degrees of freedom and computational cost are obtained. The material parameters of the fibre super-element are identified by fibre tension, relaxation and pull-out experiments.