Mechanical Behavior Analysis-Based Finite Element Method of Composites: A Review

The mechanical behavior of a composite is determined by the value of the engineering constants for the composite under consideration. If we study a homogeneous and isotropic composite, then two engineering elastic constants are needed to characterize the material; if we refer to a transversely isotropic composite, five elastic constants are needed. For more complex materials it can be necessary to determine more elastic constants in order to obtain the behavior of the composite in practical applications. In this paper, the authors present the main classic methods for calculating the engineering constants of a fiber composite material that are used in parallel with the finite element method (FEM) and highlight the advantages (and disadvantages) of using direct FEM to achieve this. The arrangement of identical fibers provides regularities that allow for easier calculations and, in some cases, the application of simple methods. The results that have already become classics, current results, and unusual examples are all critically presented in this study. All of these findings are discussed in relation to the use of the FEM, either as the primary calculation method or as a useful aid in the application of classical methods. The paper focuses on presenting research on the use of FEM for this purpose. For the different approaches discussed and for the area overall, future research directions are emphasized.