Modeling damage mechanisms in laminated composite structures: case study of a carbon/epoxy pipe under strict loading conditions using finite element analysis

The pervasive use of composite cylindrical structures in both civilian and military applications underscores the critical importance of thoroughly understanding the mechanical phenomena that can precipitate their failure. These structures, despite their ostensibly simple geometric form, present complex challenges that require sophisticated analytical approaches. Recent advancements in modern computational techniques have significantly enhanced our ability to model and predict the behavior of such structures under various stress conditions. In this study, we aim to establish a robust and comprehensive methodology for simulating the failure mechanisms of a composite material tube, specifically one composed of carbon fiber reinforced with epoxy resin, exposed to compression and impact loading. To accurately capture the structural response, we employed binary models to simulate the tube and applied the Tsai-Wu failure criterion, a widely recognized approach, to predict failure within both the fiber matrix and the resin. This criterion allows for a nuanced understanding of how different stress states contribute to material degradation. To ensure the reliability of our numerical models, against results of other work in the literature where we found a good agreement. additionally, the effect of fiber orientation has been also studied and discussed, who conducted an in-depth investigation into the impact of torsional loading on composite tubes. Their study, which incorporated fully simulated cracks using the finite element method, provided a valuable benchmark for assessing the accuracy and applicability of our simulation approach.