Abaqus/Standard Built-in User Subroutines for LaRC05 Composite Failure Criteria

Introduction

This document describes the LaRC05 composite failure criterion that is introduced in Abaqus/Standard
2017. This failure criterion is intended for laminated polymeric-matrix fiber-reinforced composites
consisting of unidirectional plies and has been implemented in the form of two built-in user subroutines:

The first one is a built-in UVARM user subroutine that evaluates the LaRC05 damage criterion and
provides output of damage tolerance. It can be accessed by naming your material such that it begins with
the string ABQ_LARC05_DMGCRT. The option is available for both 2D and 3D stress states and is
supported for plane stress elements (S4, S3, S4R, S3R), continuum shell (SC6, SC6R, SC8, SC8R),
plane stress (CPS family), membrane (M3D family) elements and three-dimensional stress-displacement
continuum elements (C3D4, C3D6, C3D8R, C3D10M).

The second option is a built-in damage initiation (UDMGINI) user routine that can be used with XFEM
enriched elements to evaluate the onset of crack initiation and propagation. This option can be accessed
by naming your material such that it begins with the string ABQ_LARC05_DMGINI. It is available only
for 3D stress states and the family of three-dimensional stress-displacement continuum elements for
which XFEM is supported.

LaRC05 damage criterion

We use the following generalization of the LaRC05 failure criteria at the ply level [1] [2].

Fiber kinking criterion

Fiber kinking is assumed to result from shear-dominated matrix failure in a misaligned frame under
significant longitudinal compression. The fiber kinking failure index is calculated for longitudinal
compression (σ1≤-Xc/2) as shown in Equation 1.

〈 〉
( ) ( ) ( ) (1)

The stress components used in this failure evaluation are in the fiber misalignment frame [1]. The stress
components are rotated twice to the fiber misalignment frame according to Equation 2 and Equation 3.

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 (2)
( )
{

{ ( ) (3)

The angle of the kink band, ѱ, is found numerically in the range 0 and 180˚ so as to maximize the failure
index (FI) in Equation 1. The misalignment angle, φ, is the sum of the initial misalignment angle φ0
(manufacturing defect) and the shear strain expressed in a coordinate system aligned with the
manufacturing defect that is calculated based on the linear shear response assumption. The McCauley
brackets are defined as <x>+ = max{0,x}.

Fiber splitting criterion

Fiber splitting is assumed to result from shear-dominated matrix failure in a misaligned frame under
insignificant longitudinal compression. The fiber splitting failure index is calculated for longitudinal
compression -Xc/2≤σ1≤0 as shown in Equation 4. The stress components used in this failure evaluation is
same as the fiber kink criterion.

〈 〉
( ) ( ) ( ) (4)

Fiber tensile criterion

The maximum stress criterion is used to predict fiber tensile failure mode (Equation 5).
〈 〉
(5)

Matrix cracking criterion

An adaptation of the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion for unidirectional composite plies is used for matrix
failure and is defined in Equation 6,

〈 〉
( ) ( ) ( ) (6)

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with failure being predicted when FIM ≥ 1. τL and τT are the longitudinal and transverse shear traction
components and σN is the normal traction component in the potential fracture plane and are obtained by
stress transformation (Equation 7).

{ (7)

The fracture plane angle α is determined so that the failure index is maximized. ηT and ηL are transverse
and longitudinal frictional coefficients. ηT can be determined from pure transverse compression test as a
function of α0 – fracture plane angle under pure transverse compression (Equation 8).

(8)

ηL needs to be measured experimentally or found in literature.

User interface

The user interface of the LaRC05 built-in routines is summarized in this section. 15 material parameters
need to be defined (Table 1). The material name must start with ‘ABQ_LARC05_DMGCRT’ to invoke
the built-in UVARM routine for damage criterion evaluation, and with ‘ABQ_LARC05_DMGINI’ to
invoke the built-in DMGINI routine for damage initiation for XFEM enriched elements.

Table 1: Material parameters to be defined

# Symbol Description
1 E11 Young’s modulus along fiber direction
2 E22 Young’s modulus along transverse direction
E33 E33=E22 for transverse isotropic lamina
3 ν12 Poisson’s ratio
ν13 Poisson’s ratio (ν13=ν12 for transverse isotropic lamina)
4 ν23 Poisson’s ratio
5 G12 In plane shear modulus 1-2 plane
G23 Transverse shear modulus 2-3 plane (G23=E22/2(1+ ν23) for transverse
isotropic lamina)
G13 In plane shear modulus 1-3 plane (g13=g12 for transverse isotropic lamina)
6 XT Longitudinal tensile strength
7 XC Longitudinal compressive strength
8 YT Transverse tensile strength
9 YC Transverse compressive strength
10 SL In-plane shear strength

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 11 α0 Fracture plane angle for pure compression (default=53˚)
12 φ0 Misalignment angle at failure for pure compression
13 ST Transverse shear strength
14 ηL Longitudinal shear friction coefficient
15 ηT Transverse shear friction coefficient

Example input formats for the built-in routines are given below. Table 2 shows the output variables for
the built-in routines. Enriched element provides additional element quantities output such as initial crack
front description and crack surface description through signed distance function PHILSM.

*Material, name=ABQ_LARC05_DMGCRT_Material-1
*Elastic, type=ENGINEERING CONSTANTS
171420., 9080., 9080., 0.32, 0.32, 0.32, 5290., 5290.
3026.,
*USER OUTPUT VARIABLES,PROPERTIES=15
4,
**E11, E22, ν12, ν23, G12, XT, XC, YT
171420., 9080., 0.32, 0.5, 5290., 2326.2, 1200.1, 62.3
** YC, SL, α0, φ0, ST, ηL, ηT
199.8, 92.3, 53., 2.544, 101.2, 0.082, 0.29,
*Material, name=ABQ_LARC05_DMGINI_Material-1
*Depvar, delete=16
16,
*Elastic, type=ENGINEERING CONSTANTS
171420.,9080.,9080., 0.32, 0.32, 0.32,5290.,5290.
3026.,
*DAMAGE INITIATION, CRITERION=USER, FAILURE
MECHANISMS=4,PROPERTIES=15,tol=0.1
**E11, E22, ν12, ν23, G12, XT, XC, YT
171420., 9080., 0.32, 0.5, 5290., 2326.2, 1200.1, 62.3
** YC, SL, α0, φ0, ST, ηL, ηT
199.8, 92.3, 53., 2.544, 101.2, 0.082, 0.29,
*DAMAGE EVOLUTION,FAILURE INDEX=1,TYPE=ENERGY, mixed mode
behavior=BK, power=2.
** Γb ,ΓT ,ΓL
0.25, 0.5, 0.5
*DAMAGE EVOLUTION,FAILURE INDEX=2,TYPE=ENERGY
** ΓKINK
100.
*DAMAGE EVOLUTION,FAILURE INDEX=3,TYPE=ENERGY
** ΓSPLIT
50.
*DAMAGE EVOLUTION,FAILURE INDEX=4,TYPE=ENERGY
** ΓFT
80.

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Evolution of damage must be defined in terms of the energy required for failure (fracture energy) after
the initiation of damage with TYPE=ENERGY. The fracture energy/toughness must be specified for
each failure mode, with a FAILURE INDEX of 1, 2 3, and 4 corresponding to the matrix cracking mode,
the fiber kinking mode; the fiber split mode and the fiber tensile mode. Each damage evolution can be
defined with single or mixed mode behavior. Fracture energies are material input that can be obtained
from Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) test, Four Point End Notched Flexure (4-ENF) Test, Compact
Tension Test and Compact Compression Test [2]. In the above example, a mixed mode behavior is used
for matrix cracking failure with mode I intra-lamina fracture toughness Γb, and mode II inter-lamina
fracture toughness (ΓT and ΓL).

Table 2: Output variables of the LaRC05 built-in routines

ABQ_LARC05_DMGCRT
Symbol Description
UVARM1 Matrix cracking damage index
UVARM2 Fiber kinking damage index
UVARM3 Fiber splitting damage index
UVARM4 Fiber tensile damage index
ABQ_LARC05_DMGINI
Symbol Description
SDV8 Matrix cracking damage index
SDV9 Fiber kinking damage index
SDV10 Fiber splitting damage index
SDV11 Fiber tensile damage index

References

[1] Pinho et al., “Material and structural response of polymer-matrix fibre-reinforced composites”,
Journal of Composites Materials, Vol 46 (19-20), 2012, pp. 2313–2341.

[2] Pinho et al., “Material and structural response of polymer-matrix fibre-reinforced composites: Part
B”, Journal of Composites Materials, Vol 47 (6-7), 2013, pp. 679-696.

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