Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM
The behavior of LFT components can be easily predicted thanks to the combination of mold filling and crash simulations. The simulation accounts for the distribution of fiber orientation and fiber thickness. The material model is based on homogenization methods. The first step is to approximate the unidirectional properties of the composite with a transversally isotropic rigidity matrix. Empirical methods are used to implement damage development. The second step is to calculate the effective rigidities using the distribution of fiber orientation.