Expert Lecture Spotlight | Prof. Wim Van Paepegem
Multiscale Modeling of Damage Mechanics of Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP)
Multiscale modeling has become a cornerstone of modern composites research, especially as industries push the limits of performance and reliability. While elastic property prediction is now well established across various modeling platforms, the nonlinear and damage behavior of composites presents a much greater challenge.
In this insightful lecture, Prof. Wim Van Paepegem takes us through the current frontiers of multiscale damage modeling, with a focus on linking virtual models with real-world experimental validation.
Key challenges explored:
- Difficulty in obtaining multi-scale experimental input
- Complex damage mechanisms like fiber-matrix debonding and fiber breakage
- Need for anisotropic damage models that account for strain-rate and temperature effects
- The demand for both model accuracy and computational efficiency
The lecture covers the three critical modeling scales:
- Microscale – Modeling individual fibers and matrix interactions
- Mesoscale – Capturing textile architecture and short fiber behavior
- Macroscale – Structural performance and damage evolution
Prof. Van Paepegem presents both finite element-based multiscale approaches and faster alternatives such as:
- Mean Field Homogenization
- Variational methods
Real-world examples include:
- Unidirectional composites
- Textile-reinforced systems
- Short fiber composites
All reinforced with advanced experimental techniques for in-situ damage observation and validation.
As the gap between “virtual reality and reality” narrows, this lecture provides a roadmap for researchers and engineers to more confidently simulate and predict damage in fiber-reinforced composites.
Available now on the cdmHUB YouTube channel as part of the Global Composites Expert Webinar Series.
