A Model-Based Simulation of CFRP-Steel Bond Failure Using the Material Point Method

Based on the recent observation of CFRP-steel bond failure in the double lap shear tests, a numerical approach using the Material Point Method (MPM) is proposed in this study to simulate the delamination process of the combined CFRP/epoxy layer from steel plate. In the proposed approach, an elasto-plasticity von Mises model with linear hardening and softening laws is used to model the bonded materials. The MPM, one of the meshfree particle methods, is adopted as a robust spatial discretization method to accommodate the multi-scale discontinuities involved in the CFRP-steel system failure process. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed model-based simulation approach, a parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of bond length and loading rate on the behaviour of CFRP-steel joint system. The simulation results not only match the available experimental data well but also provide a better understanding on the physics behind the combined CFRP/epoxy layer delamination process.