This article investigates the influence of finite element model features on Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) crushing simulation results. The study focuses on two composite material tube models using single shell modeling approach. The chosen material model is MAT58 (*MAT_LAMINATED_COMPOSITE_FABRIC) from the commercial finite element analysis software LS-Dyna. The baseline models geometry and material parameters come from a model calibration conducted for lightweight vehicle investigation. Five parameters are investigated. The mesh size and the number of integration point (NIP) are generic and ERODS, TSIZE and SOFT are the non-physical parameters of MAT58. This analysis aims at discuss the influence of these parameters on the simulation results focusing on the initial force peak and the average crush load, regarding results realism and instabilities such as large elements deformation and abnormal peak values. Also, the impact of the number of CPUs involved in the simulation calculation is presented. Recommendations are given to set the mesh size and the NIP. TSIZE value should be selected regarding the simulation time step. On the other hand, ERODS has to be adjusted manually. Both are determinant for simulation robustness. Further studies are proposed to find out the reasons of large element deformation.

Volume Subject Area:
Materials: Genetics to Structures
Topics:
Fibers, Polymers, Simulation, Deformation, Simulation results, Calibration, Composite materials, Computer software, Fiber reinforced plastics, Finite element analysis, Finite element model, Geometry, Modeling, Robustness, Shells, Stress, Vehicles
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