3D Micromechanical Modeling of Compressive Failure in Unidirectional CFRP

3D Micromechanical Modeling of Compressive Failure in Unidirectional CFRP

Doha KASHOUA, Samuel RIVALLANT, Pierre RAHME, Christophe BOUVET

Abstract. To address the limitations of current design safety factors in aerospace structures, accurate simulation models predicting the compressive failure of unidirectional CFRP composites are required. These materials are limited by localized shear instabilities, or kink-bands, which are sensitive to unavoidable fiber misalignment. This study develops a 3D explicit micromechanical model in Abaqus to investigate the morphology of the kink-band failure and explain its scenario. It addresses the existing limitations of imposing the right input parameters and boundary conditions that can produce a kink-band. The simulation successfully captures kink-band formation initiated by matrix shear, fiber rotation and fiber breakage.

Keywords
Micromechanics, Kink-Band, Compressive Failure, CFRP Composites

Published online 11/8/2026, 4 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA

Citation: Doha KASHOUA, Samuel RIVALLANT, Pierre RAHME, Christophe BOUVET, 3D Micromechanical Modeling of Compressive Failure in Unidirectional CFRP, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 73, pp 23-26, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904459-5

The article was published as article 5 of the book Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

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