Finite element modelling of a transverse-loaded fibre composite effects of section size and net density

Abstract A case study is presented which illustrates methodical aspects in the simulation of the mechanical behaviour of two-phase materials by means of finite element (FE) models of random cut-outs from the (planar) microstructure. Two-dimensional FE models are appropriate to the situation of a transverse-loaded fibre composite. The following problems are addressed: the effect of simplifying the microstructural geometry; the sampling error committed by using a model of limited size; special effects arising at the boundaries of the computational cell; the influence of the mesh density of the FE net, and the stability of the FE models at large plastic strains. It is shown that models of limited size and mesh density, which require limited computational effort, give results which are not unduly affected by these potential sources of error.