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Wound Composite Modeler

For
Abaqus
Abaqus Version 6.12-1 2008 SIMULIA, Inc.

Users Manual
Table of Contents

1. Background .....................................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Plug-in Overview ......................................................................................................................................5
1.2 Top-Level Icons ........................................................................................................................................5
2. COPV (Tank) Creation....................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Model & Tank Initialization .......................................................................................................................7
2.1.1 Model Creation ..................................................................................................................................7
2.1.2 Tank Creation....................................................................................................................................8
2.2 Liner Geometry Assignment .....................................................................................................................8
2.2.1 Geodesic Dome ................................................................................................................................8
2.2.2 Elliptical, Spherical Domes ...............................................................................................................9
2.2.3 From-Part Instance Dome...............................................................................................................10
2.2.4 Transition Radii ...............................................................................................................................10
2.2.5 Defining the Dome Set Properly .....................................................................................................11
2.2.6 Viewing Dome Geometry in Sketcher .............................................................................................13
2.2.7 Adjusting Spline Refinement ...........................................................................................................14
2.3 Winding Layout .......................................................................................................................................15
2.3.1 Layer Manager Dialog .....................................................................................................................15
2.3.2 Layer Shape Controls .....................................................................................................................16
2.3.2.1 End Fraction Override ..................................................................................................................17
2.3.2.2 Transition Radius Override ..........................................................................................................17
2.3.2.3 Transition Radius Override (Ignoring End Cap) ...........................................................................18
2.3.2.4 Transition Angle ...........................................................................................................................19
2.3.2.5 Overlap Fraction ..........................................................................................................................20
2.3.3 Helical Layers..................................................................................................................................21
2.3.3.1 Controlling the Wind Angle at the Turnaround Radius ................................................................22
2.3.3.2 Varying Wing Angle over Cylinder Section ..................................................................................23
2.3.4 Helical Layer with Friction ...............................................................................................................24
2.3.5 Doily & Hoop Layers .......................................................................................................................25
2.3.6 Layer-Level Mesh Controls .............................................................................................................26
2.4 Mesh Partitioning ....................................................................................................................................26
2.5 Mesh Creation ........................................................................................................................................28
2.6 Properties Creation ................................................................................................................................29
2.6.1 Material Properties ..........................................................................................................................29
2.6.2 Material Orientations .......................................................................................................................30
2.6.3 Uvarm Subroutine ...........................................................................................................................30
3. Running the Analysis ....................................................................................................................................32
4. Output Processing ........................................................................................................................................32
5. Sample Test Cases ......................................................................................................................................35
6. Micromechanics Module ...............................................................................................................................36
6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................36
6.1.1 Plug-in Overview .............................................................................................................................37
6.2 Plug-in Usage .........................................................................................................................................38
6.2.1 Fiber Packing Arrangement ............................................................................................................38
6.2.2 Fiber Volume Fraction .....................................................................................................................39
6.2.3 Fiber Elastic Properties ...................................................................................................................39
6.2.4 Matrix Elastic Properties .................................................................................................................40
6.2.5 Thermal Expansion Properties ........................................................................................................41
6.2.6 Density Properties ...........................................................................................................................41
6.3 Plug-in Output ........................................................................................................................................41
6.4 Micromechanics Theory .........................................................................................................................42
6.4.1 Micromechanics unit cell geometry .................................................................................................42
6.4.2 Unit cell boundary conditions ..........................................................................................................43
6.4.3 Volume-averaged ply properties .....................................................................................................43
7. Installation of WCM Plug-in ..........................................................................................................................45
8. References ...................................................................................................................................................45
WCM References .........................................................................................................................................45
Micromechanics References ........................................................................................................................45
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Abaqus References ......................................................................................................................................45

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1. Background
The process of filament winding has become a popular technique in a wide variety of industries for creating
extremely high stiffness-to-weight structures. Aerospace industry applications include rocket propellant tanks
and solid rocket motors casings. Automotive industry applications include high pressure fuel storage tanks
for hydrogen powered automobiles.
The difficulty in accurately analyzing the behavior of filament wound structures derives from the varying
orientation of the wound filaments throughout the structure. The standard capabilities of commercial finite
element codes are inadequate to model the variation of fiber orientation in a practical way. Thus, the Wound
Composite plug-in for Abaqus was warranted. This Wound Composite Modeler for Abaqus plug-in was
developed to analyze a wide variety of axisymmetric or three-dimensional, wound composite pressure
vessels. This documentation describes the capabilities and usage of the plug-in.

Figure 1: Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel

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1.1 Plug-in Overview
The Wound Composite Modeler for Abaqus plug-in is a vertical application which is designed to facilitate the
creation of an entire axisymmetric or three-dimensional finite element model of a composite overwrapped
pressure vessel (COPV). The model created is a representation of the full tank. The plug-in automates the
creation of the tank geometry and its corresponding mesh and element-by-element material property and
orientation assignments.
The plugin is brought up by selecting Wound Composite Modeler (Show/Hide) under the Plugins drop down
menu. The WCM plugin follows the same tree structure of the model and output data base trees, therefore,
the model tree must be displayed in order to work in the WCM. To toggle the model tree on and off, click
CTRL-t.

Figure 1.1: Wound Composite Modeler Tree


1.2 Top-Level Icons
The icons shown at the top of the Wound Composite Modeler tab provide a number of high-level functions.
The first icon, , brings up a dialog of a list of example problems that may be run automatically. Various
analyses testing the many different features of the plugin are available for automatic creation and
submission.

Figure 1.2.1: Example Problem Dialog

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The post processing icon, , brings up a dialog that is used to automatically generate path plots of output
quantities such as stress and strain along the length of any given layer.

Figure 1.2.2: Micro-Mechanics Dialog

The micro-mechanics icon, , is used to bring up a separate utility to generate the micro mechanical
material properties of a lamina consisting of fiber and matrix materials. Clicking the Users Manual button as
shown in the dialog below brings up a separate detailed description of the utilitys capabilities.

Figure 1.2.3: Micro-Mechanics Dialog

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2. COPV (Tank) Creation

2.1 Model & Tank Initialization


The process of building a COPV model inside the WCM consists of the following five steps.
1. Initialize the WCM Model and tank attributes such as 2D or 3D.
2. The second step involves defining the geometry over which the filament wound layers will be placed.
This can be done with analytic expressions such as spherical or elliptical dome shapes, or the
underlying geometry can be defined by simply creating a node set on a part representing the liner.
3. The third step is generating a table of layers wrapped over the liner. The termination conditions at
both end of the tank are specified along with layer thickness, wind angle, layer material properties
and more.
4. The fourth step is specifying partitions which are used to help improve mesh quality.
5. The fifth step is assigning the mesh sizes and generating the mesh.
6. The sixth step is to generate the material orientations and material properties throughout the tank.

2.1.1 Model Creation


The first step in the creation of a COPV model is to first associate a model that exists in the .cae database
with a WCM database object to be stored on the mdb.models[currentModelName].customData object. By
doing this, the WCM initializes the WCM data object on the persistent customData object. This object is
saved onto the database and can accessed during later Abaqus/CAE sessions.
To create a WCM model, select the Models item in the WCM tree, right click, and select Create. The Model
Properties dialog is displayed next to the WCM tree. A list of analyses types is provided to choose the
element types to be assigned to the tank. Clicking the Create button creates the WCM custom data object
that will be used to store the remainder of the tank information.

Figure 2.1-1: WCM Model Creation Dialog

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2.1.2 Tank Creation
Once the WCM model has been created, a tank is initialized by selecting the Tanks repository, right clicking,
and selecting Create. The dialog brought up is shown below. The first item to be chosen is whether to model
a full tank or only a partial tank by defining a symmetry plane. A number of options are provided to assign
default element controls that are assigned to all of the tanks layers to be created. These controls can be
overridden on a layer-by-layer basis as the layers are created.

Figure 2.1-2: WCM Tank Creation Dialog

In the case of a 3D COPV model, an axis must be defined which represent the vessel centerline. A datum
axis may be used or one of the axes of a datum coordinate system. During the tank creation of the 3D
COPV, this axis must be selected.

2.2 Liner Geometry Assignment


The next step in the COPV model generation process is to define the region of the liner and polar bosses
over which filament wound layers will be laid. There are two ways to define the underlying liner geometry:
analytically or from an existing part instance. Both ways essentially require the user to define a sequence of
lines, which when swept about an axis represent the geometry over which the filament wound layers will be
placed. In the case of a 3D model, the axis that the set will be revolved around must also be selected. This
axis must be defined as a datum axis.

2.2.1 Geodesic Dome


The geodesic-shaped dome is a specially shaped dome which results in a nearly constant strain state along
much of the fiber as it wraps around the dome. The shape of the dome is directly related to the vessel radius
and the wind angle of the layer at the tangent line. Geodesic liner geometry is created by selecting the

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Analytic category, then choosing the dome type as Geodesic. Each end of the tank may be assigned
different dome types.

Figure 2.2.1-1: Geodesic Dome Input

For example, Figure 2.2.1-2 shows a dome in blue which is constructed from a wind angle of five degrees
and a dome in grey which is constructed from a wind angle of ten degrees.

Figure 2.2.1-2: Geodesic Dome with/without Base Wind Angle

For the given geodesic wind angle, the helical turns around at a radius equal to the vessel radius at the tan-
gent line times the sine of the wind angle. The underlying geometry follows the geodesic shape up until this
turnaround radius, then is assumed to extend vertically as though the first layer abutted to an imaginary polar
boss. For a radius less than this so called turnaround radius, the layer would simply intersect the extended
assumed polar boss geometry.

2.2.2 Elliptical, Spherical Domes


Creation of elliptically and spherically-shaped domes is available by specifying the vessel radius at the
tangent line, and in the case of the elliptical dome, the radius of the ellipse in the y-direction (minor axis).

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Figure 2.2.1: Elliptical and Spherical Domes

2.2.3 From-Part Instance Dome


Wound composite layers can be made to wrap over an existing part instance that has been created within
Abaqus/CAE or imported into Abaqus/CAE from other CAD programs. The liner part instance may be
geometry-based or orphan mesh-based. In the case of an orphan mesh-based liner, a node set is required to
be created along the entire length in a cross-section. The nodal coordinates extracted from the node set are
used to create splines, which in turn, are used to generate the composite layer geometry. In the case of a
geometry-based liner, again an edge-based set is created along the length of the tank. Equally spaced points
are created from the geometry to serve as the basis for the splines, which, in turn, are used to generate the
composite layer geometry. In the case of a three-dimensional model, the node set is not required to lie in the
x-y plane as is the case for axisymmetric geometry.

Figure 2.2.3-1: Helical Layers on Part Instance

2.2.4 Transition Radii


Regardless of the type of underlying geometry used to define tank geometry, a transition radius is required
for each end of the tank. As the layers wrap up to this transition radius, the layer thickness is continually
building up and the slope of the outer edge of the layer is continually changing. Once this transition radius is
reached, the slope of the outer edge of the layer is forced to remain constant (zero transition angle) until an
intersection with the polar boss is found. Alternatively, a non-zero transition angle can be entered to change
the slope of the layer until an intersection with the liner is found. This allows the thickness buildup at the
polar boss regions to be controlled. Any layer with a turnaround radius less than the fillet start radius is
assumed to abut to the polar boss. The transition radius entered for the liner may be overwritten on a layer-
by-layer basis allowing for very fine control of the polar boss thickness buildup.

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Figure 2.2.4-1: From-Part Dome Input

Figure 2.4-2: Transition Radius Definition

2.2.5 Defining the Dome Set Properly


The proper creation of the underlying dome set is critical to being able to generate the wound layout geome-
try onto an existing part instance. Improper set creation will result in the failure of the geometry creation and
may result in any number of obscure Abaqus or Python errors. The set may be based on geometry edges or
in the case of an orphaned mesh liner a set of nodes. Use the following guidelines for choosing the dome set
shown in red for various cases:

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Case 1: Large Fillet Polar Boss & Continuum Model: Set transition radius at the beginning of the fil-
let. Assign all layers abutting polar boss a radius less than the transition radius. Any layers with turn-
around radii less than transition radius will abut to the polar boss, regardless of the end controls.

Case 2: Arbitrarily-shaped Polar Boss & Continuum Model: Use transition radius less than the radius
of any point along the vertical face of the polar boss. Assign all layers abutting polar boss a radius
less than the transition radius. Use the vertical segments of the polar boss.

Case 3: Invalid Dome Set/Transition Radius

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2.2.6 Viewing Dome Geometry in Sketcher
The proper creation of the underlying dome geometry set is critical to building the tank properly. To ensure
this set is being read properly by the WCM, it can be plotted by clicking on the sketch icon . As shown
below, the solid yellow line represents the shape of the underlying geometry based on the set provided. The
dashed vertical lines attached to either end of the solid yellow line represent the extended polar boss geome-
try. The dashed yellow lines slightly offset from the extended polar boss geometry represent the transition
radii.

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Figure 2.2.6:-1 Liner Geometry Sketch

2.2.7 Adjusting Spline Refinement


The underlying geometry of the tank is drawn by extracting points from the dome set provided. If the dome
set is geometry-based, then the WCM will extract equally spaced points along the length of the set. The
number of points to be used is based on the refinement selected. The following numbers of points are used
based on the refinement:

Number of
Refinement
Points

Extra Coarse 100

Coarse 150

Medium 300

Fine 450

Extra Fine 600

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The first composite layer of the tank is drawn by projecting the points along the base geometry in the normal
direction through a distance equal to the layer thickness at the points being generated. These projected
points are then combined to draw splines representing the exterior of the first layer. The second layer is then
drawn in the same manner by projecting the exterior points of the first layer. Thus, by continuing this pattern,
the points along the liner geometry are propagated up through all of the layers of the entire tank. The amount
of time required to generate the tank part is directly related to the number of points used to draw the splines.
Therefore, controlling the number of points used to draw the liner is critical in controlling the amount of time
required to draw the entire tank. The refinement option allows the user to control the number of points along
the liner, and thus the number of points used to draw the tank. Using coarse refinement will build the tank
quickly, but in areas where one layer wraps over another, the geometry created may show inaccuracies.
If the liner part is an orphan-mesh part, then the points used to define the liner geometry are the actual node
points contained in the node set. In this case, the refinement option is ignored.

2.3 Winding Layout

2.3.1 Layer Manager Dialog


Once the liner has been defined, the layout can be defined to overwrap the liner. Right clicking on the Layers
repository and selecting Manager will bring up the Layer Manager dialog. Double clicking on the Layers
repository will also bring up the Layer Manager dialog.

Figure 2.3.1-1: Activating Layer Manager

The entire layup can be defined and verified from with the Layer Manager dialog. Each layer is assigned a
layer type, material, thickness, and wind angle. The inner and outer radius, hoop height and band width are
applicable to specific layer types. A row of buttons is listed below to assist in table manipulation. The first four
buttons are for adding, removing, and moving layers. The Add Rows button adds a row at the end of the
table by copying all of the layer information, including controls, of the layer in which the cursor is placed. The
Move Up and Move Down buttons simply move the entire layer, along with its control information, up or
down. Multiple layers can be moved up and down simultaneously.

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Figure 2.3.1-2: Layer Manager Dialog

As changes are made to the table, they can immediately be viewed by clicking on the Sketch icon . This
will sketch the layers of the table, as well as the liner. The Sketch All icon , the Sketch Top icon , and
the Sketch Bottom icon, allow the user to control which portions of the tank are being sketched. This allows
the user to focus on viewing parameter changes that are specific to the top, for example, while ignoring
parameters specific to the bottom. This can also speed up sketching in large layups. If changes are made to
the table and in the sketch mode, the Refresh icon must be clicked for the sketch to reflect the changes.
Each layer has a multitude of controls that affect the thickness buildup, the shape at the end of the layer,
how the layer abuts to the polar boss, and more. By clicking the Visible Columns icon , each of the controls
can be displayed and modified in the table. Because there are so many, they are not displayed by default.
The Default Columns icon displays the default columns. The Top Columns icon displays controls
specific to the top of the tank. Likewise, the Bottom Columns icon displays controls that are specific to the
bottom portion of the tank. The All Columns icon displays all controls for all of the layers. The Mesh
Columns icon displays controls related to the mesh. The Symmetric Tank icon allows the bottom
controls to be set identical the top controls in which case only the top controls can be modified. Regardless
of which columns are shown, the information stored in each column is saved upon submission of the Layer
Manager dialog.

2.3.2 Layer Shape Controls

The thickness buildup described in the sections below for helicals is very accurate throughout the tank, with
the exception of the regions very near the polar bosses. Because of the many ways in which individual wind-
ing machines affect the polar boss region buildup, some tools in the WCM have been added to allow the user
to control how each of the layers are shaped close to the polar boss. In order to demonstrate how these con-
trols affect the polar boss region, a single layer will be considered which terminates near the polar boss
which has a boss radius of 2.0. Each of the parameters which affect the shape will be modified to demon-
strate the affect. In order to display the controls, the Top Columns icon can be clicked and the table is up-
dated to show all of the layer controls of the top of the tank.

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Figure 2.3-2-1: Layer Manager Dialog

2.3.2.1 End Fraction Override

The End Fraction parameter controls how the end of the layer is terminated. The thickness buildup equation
described in subsequent sections approaches infinity as the radius at which the thickness is calculated ap-
proaches the turnaround radius of the layer. In reality the end of the layer tapers off. The shape of the taper
can be controlled by the winding software used to wind the COPV. As a default, the WCM calculates the
point, referred to as the transition point, at which the thickness buildup equations are no longer used and a
rounded or straight line describes the remainder of the end cap of the layer. The distance from the turna-
round point to a point at the base of the layer corresponding to the transition point is determined as a fraction
of the bandwidth for helical layers and a fraction of the constant layer thickness for hoop layers. This fraction,
referred to as the End Fraction, is determined automatically by the WCM but can be overridden. Below is
displayed plots corresponding to End Fractions of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0.

Figure 2.3-2.1: Effect of End Fraction

2.3.2.2 Transition Radius Override

The transition radius is the radius at which the slope of the outer line is abruptly overridden and continued on
a straight line until an intersection with the polar boss or underlying layers is found. The sketches below were
generated with the values shown. The polar boss is set to a radius of 2.0, the layer turnaround radius is set
to 2.1, and the end fraction is set to 1.0 with a band width of 0.5. Therefore, the end cap of the layer begins
at a radius of 3.1 - just outside of the values of each of the transition radii shown. The dashed vertical line
represents the transition radius for the layer. By modifying the value of the transition radius, the thickness
buildup can be controlled precisely.

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Figure 2.3.2.2: Effect of Transition Radius

2.3.2.3 Transition Radius Override (Ignoring End Cap)

In the plots above you will notice that the WCM attempted to draw the end cap of the layer until the transition
radius was reached, at which point the slope remained constant until an intersection with the polar boss was
found. Alternatively, if the layer terminates inside of the transition radius, the sketching of the end cap can be
ignored. The thickness buildup is based on the theoretical thickness buildup until the transition radius is
reached. Then the slope remains constant until an intersection with the polar boss is found.

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Figure 2.3.2.2: Effect of Transition Radius while Ignoring End Cap

2.3.2.4 Transition Angle

The default behavior of the layer thickness buildup is to continue the outer layer slope from at the transition
point until an intersection with the polar boss is found. As an alternative, that slope can be modified by set-
ting the transition angle to a non-zero number. A positive transition angle causes the layer to increase in
thickness, while a negative transition angle causes the layer to decrease in thickness.

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Figure 2.3.2.4: Effect of Transition Angle

2.3.2.5 Overlap Fraction

As one layer overlaps the end of another, a void is formed which contains resin, but no composite fibers. The
size of the void region depends on a number of factors such as wind angle, tape tension, and whether a
post-layup treatment is applied to squeeze out excess resin material. The WCM provides an overlap fraction
parameter which controls length of the void region. The curved line drawn begins at a point above the transi-
tion point of the underlying layer (i.e. the point at which the end cap begins). The slope used is that of the
liner if this point were projected onto the liner. The curved line then terminates at

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Figure 2.3.2.5: Effect of Overlap Fraction

2.3.3 Helical Layers


The helical layer types (with and without friction) of a wound composite are typically wound in such a manner
as to produce an axisymmetric layup. In other words, for every helical band at + theta, there is a
corresponding band at theta to cause the overall laminate to be a balanced angle-ply (+/- theta) laminate.
This assumption is implicit in both axisymmetric models and 3D models. Therefore, the wound composite
plug-in requires only a single orientation angle to be given for each layer at the tangent line and the plug-in
will calculate the angle-ply laminate material properties for each element within each helical layer.
Helical layers may be wrapped over a liner with or without a cylindrical section. The wind angle along the
cylindrical section remains constants, while the helical winding angle over the dome is described by the
following equation:

R R0
n
R0
( R) sin
1

R Rtl R0

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Equation 2.3.3: Wing Angle Definition

Here, R is the radial distance from the center line to a point in the layer, R o is the radial distance from the
centerline to the turnaround point, and Rtl is the radius at the dome-cylinder tangent line, and is the
difference in degrees between the frictionless wind angle (input for the layer) and the wind angle calculated
by the first term of Equation 2.3.3. A frictionless winding pattern is obtained by choosing . If friction is
accounted for, 0, then the wind angle distribution will vary as described in more detail in later sections.
The wind angle distribution of helicals with our without friction are described by the equation above.

2.3.3.1 Controlling the Wind Angle at the Turnaround Radius


As a band turns around the dome, the wind angle of the entire width of the band is 90. As a default, the
WCM modifies the turnaround radius, , by the width of the band so that the wind angle begins to drop
below 90 immediately after the width of the band. This would be accurate if the band wrapped completely
around dome. However, as a band wraps around the dome, it is orientated at 90 for only a short distance .
Instead, many bands are required to cover the dome in the hoop direction. Therefore, the fibers are not
orientated at 90 over the full band width around the full 360 circumference. In order to approximate the
portion of the band that is at 90, the ninety degree band width factor, , may be used to reduce this
distance.

Figure 2.3.3.1: 90 Factor

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Figure 2.3.3.2: 90 Wind Angle Shown in Red

2.3.3.2 Varying Wing Angle over Cylinder Section


In many circumstances the wind angle of a helical may vary over the length of the cylindrical section of a
tank. Setting the bottom wind angle, as shown in red below, will linearly vary the wind angle over the length
of the cylinder from the bottom wind angle to the top wind angle. The beginning and end points of the
variation are determined by calculating the points above and below the cylinder section with radii equal to
.995 the radius of the cylinder. In order for this approach to be valid, the cylinder section must remain
perfectly flat (not tapered, nor contain any imperfections). The thickness calculation based on Equation 2.2.4
uses the wind angle at the tangent line as part of the calculation to determine the thickness. The smallest of
the top and bottom wind angles is used as the wind angle at the tangent line in Equation 2.2.4. As a result,
the thickness of the layer varies over the cylinder region.

Figure 2.3.3.2: Varying Wind Angle over Cylinder

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2.3.4 Helical Layer Thickness Buildup
The thickness specified in the winding layout table is the thickness at the cylinder tangent line. As the layer
traverses the dome to the polar boss, the thickness of the helical layer gradually builds up as described by
the equation below.

ttl cos tl rtl


t r
cos r rtl r
4

r 2 BW
rtl r 0

ttl thickness at the tangent line


tl wind angle at the tangent line
r wind angle at radius
rtl radius at the dome - cylinder tangent line
r 0 radius at the helical turnaround point
BW helical band width

r r0
n
r0
r (r ) sin
1

r rtl r 0

Equations 2.3.4

2.3.4 Helical Layer with Friction


A helical layer with-friction requires the wind angle and turnaround radius both be specified. The wind angle
distribution is determined from of Equation 2.3.3 with the value of n set to 1.0. This equation essentially
bounds the with-friction curve between two frictionless curves. The first curve is frictionless curve based on
the wind angle given. The second curve is the frictionless curve based on a wind angle that would reproduce
the turnaround given. The difference in wind angles () between the two curves is simply ramped down
linearly (for n=1.0) over the length of the layer with the turnaround specified by the user. The resulting with-
friction wind angle curve is shown in red in the figure below.

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90

80

70

60

Wind Angle
50

40

30

20

Theta2
10
Theta1
0
R1 R2 Rtl
Dome Radius

Figure 2.3.4 Wind Angle With-Friction in Red

2.3.5 Doily & Hoop Layers


The TOP DOILY, BOTTOM DOILY, and HOOP type layers consist of a constant thickness and constant wind angle
layer. Doilies can be specified to either be placed over the top of the tank ( TOP DOILY) or over the bottom of
the tank (BOTTOM DOILY) in the case of a full tank model. Doilies cannot extend over the full length of the
cylinder (see section below describing hoops). Modeling a doily requires the inner-most termination point to
be entered as a radius. The outer-most termination point may be entered as either a radius or Y-Position
measured from the center of the tank. The WCM determines the washer-shaped ply which is wrapped over
other layers as shown in Figure 2.3.5-1. A doily is constructed with a uniform thickness and usually of an
orthotropic material. The primary material direction is rotated from the meridional axis of the tank by the
value of the wind angle. Just as helicals, a layer consists of fibers at + and - angles at the same position
through the thickness of the layup, thus resulting in an axisymmetric behavior. For example, a wind angle of
90.0 degrees results in the primary material direction of the doily being in the tanks hoop direction.

Figure 2.3.5-1: Doily Layer in Blue (Only half of the tank is shown)

Modeling a hoop entails specifying the y-coordinates of the termination. The y-coordinates are measured
from the center of the tank, which is determined half way between the two extreme y-coordinates of the liner.
A uniform-thickness layer which begins in the cylinder region and terminates at a position along the tank axis
is shown in Figure 2.3.5-2. A hoop layer is usually orthotropic like a doily with the primary material direction
rotated from the meridional axis of the tank by the value of the wind angle typically 90 degrees.

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Figure 2.3.5-2: Hoop Layer in Blue (Only half of the tank is shown)

2.3.6 Layer-Level Mesh Controls


Clicking on the Mesh Columns icon displays mesh specific controls of the layer as shown in the figure
below. These controls allow individual layers to be assigned mesh controls that give the user significant
controls over the characteristics and quality of the final mesh. The layer-level controls override the tank-level
mesh controls described in Section 2.1.2. The number of elements through the thickness of a particular layer
may be specified in this dialog. Resulting mesh seeds are applied through the thickness of the layer at the
base of the dome, or in the case of an attached cylinder, at the interface between the dome and cylinder.
The mesh seeds are applied on the segment of the partitions (described in the next section) passing through
the layer of interest.
The element formulation may be assigned to the layer by selecting any combination of the HYBRID, REDUCED,
or INCOMPATIBLE MODES formulations.

Figure 2.3.6: Layer-Level Mesh Controls Tab Input


2.4 Mesh Partitioning

The mesh partitioning options allow for the creation of partitions through the thickness of a layer all along the
length of the layer. The spacing of the partitions can be biased toward the top of the layer, the bottom of the
layer, or evenly spaced throughout the layer.

26
Figure 2.4-1: Geometry/Mesh with and without Partitioning

The partitions control the mesh in a couple of ways:


They prevent the mesher from creating skewed elements as shown to the left in Figure 2.4-2. A
mesh modified with partitions is shown to the right in Figure 2.4-2.
They allow for the application of mesh seeds and constraints through the thickness all along the
length of the layer as opposed to having only a single mesh seed constraint at the bottom of the
dome. This helps to ensure the number of elements through the thickness remains uniform
throughout the layer.

27
Figure 2.4-2: Geometry/Mesh with and without Partitioning
If a partition passes too close to an existing vertex, the mesh creation may fail as shown in the figure below.
In order to insure that the partitions do not terminate too close to an existing vertex, the sketcher mode may
be entered by clicking on the sketch icon while the partition properties are being edited. For example, in a
particular layup, one partition terminates very near the vertex. This may result not only in a poorly formed
mesh in this region, but may also prevent the mesher from generating a mesh altogether. To eliminate this
particular partition line, click the Remove Individual Partitions icon , thick pick on the line to be removed
and hit the Done button. This process will ensure a nicely formed mesh will be created throughout the tank.

Figure 2.4-3: Removing Individual Lines from Partitions

2.5 Mesh Creation


The next step in the COPV model creation is generating a mesh on tank. Double clicking the mesh icon
displays the Mesh Properties dialog. Since the number of elements and element types are assigned at the
tank and layer levels, only the number of elements along the length of the tank needs to be specified. The
number of elements specified is assigned as the total number assigned to the top and bottom domes.

Figure 2.5: Mesh Generation Inputs


Upon submission of the Mesh Properties dialog, the WCM applies the mesh seeds to the part and attempts
to mesh it. In some circumstances an inadequate mesh, or not mesh at all, is obtained. The following are
some troubleshooting tips regarding meshing:

28
Very poorly shaped elements: This is usually caused by an inadequate number of elements along
the length of the tank. Increase the number of elements along the length of the tank so that the as-
pect ratios of the elements in the cylindrical section of the tank do not exceed 2 to 1.
No mesh on a face: This often occurs because a partition passes too closely to an existing vertex for
the mesher to honor the mesh seeds. Edit the partitions and remove any lines passing very near a
vertex.
No mesh at all on a 3D tank: This can occur if too few elements were chosen in the hoop direction.
Very slow creation for 3D models. Reduce the number of segments in the hoop direction and the
number of lines used for mesh partitioning. In the cylinder region of the tank, only use mesh parti-
tions near the transitions from cylinder to dome. Mesh seeding, setting the sweep direction, and
meshing all are slowed down by the number of cells in the tank.

If after trouble shooting a mesh you are still not able to generate a mesh on a tank, attempt to generate the
mesh directly within the Abaqus/CAE mesh module. For example, on some 3D models the mesher may fail
to generate a mesh, but if sections are meshed individually in sequence the mesher is able to generate a
mesh. If you are able to use the tools in the mesh module to generate an adequate mesh, you can then right
click on the mesh icon in the WCM tree and select Set as Completed. This will indicate to the WCM that an
adequate mesh has been created and will allow the final step of the property generation to be completed.

2.6 Properties Creation


Then final step in the creation for a COPV model is to generate the properties. This process involves
generating material properties, section definitions and material orientations. Clicking on the properties icon
opens up the Material Properties dialog.

Figure 2.6.1:Material Properties dialog


2.6.1 Material Properties
The assignment of material properties to the tank begins by assigning section definitions based on the
materials provided for each layer in the winding layout table. The plug-in then determines which layers have
orthotropic materials assigned to them (*ELASTIC, *CONDUCTIVITY, or *EXPANSION). The elements in the
orthotropic layers are assigned transformed material definitions and section assignments. Field variable
dependent elastic and expansion properties are not supported.
The calculation of orthotropic materials properties is performed by first creating wind angle bins for each
orthotropic material. That is to say, all the elements assigned a given orthotropic material are grouped
together based on wind angle and put into bins. The local wind angle of each element is calculated from
Equation 2.3.3 based on the coordinates of a point at the bottom of the layer which is projected normal from
the layer to the centroidal coordinates of the element. The range of wind angles assigned to a bin is chosen
by the user as the wind angle increment in the Tank Manager Dialog as shown in Figure 2.6.1. Wind angle
bins are then generated from 0 to 90 degrees based on the wind angle increment. For example, 90 bins
would be created for a wind angle increment of 1 degree. All elements with wind angles falling within the

29
range of a given wind angle bin is assigned a single material property based on the wind angle of the bin. No
materials are created for bins which have no elements associated with them.
The orthotropic materials for each wind angle bin are calculated as angle-ply laminate () materials, where
the angle is the bin wind angle. The orthotropic material properties input by the user are for the composite
lamina (single-ply) with 1=fiber direction, 2=transverse and 3=normal. The plug-in transforms these material
properties to the following global directions for axisymmetric-continuum and axisymmetric-shell geometry: 1-
meridional, 2=radial, and 3=hoop, and the following global directions for three-dimensional geometry:
1=meridional, 2=hoop, and 3=radial. These transformed material properties, along with a section definition,
are assigned to each wind angle bin and a unique material definition is created. Material properties other
than orthotropic *ELASTIC, *CONDUCTIVITY, and *EXPANSION are assigned directly to the wind angle bin material
without being altered and are also written to the include file. Anisotropic *ELASTIC and *EXPANSION are not
supported.

Figure 2.6.1: Wind Angle Bins of 0.5 Degrees

2.6.2 Material Orientations


The material orientation assignments are generated along with the material properties. Each layer is
assigned its own material orientation definition which references the part feature coordinate system
"TankCenter", as well as a discrete field definition, WCM_tankName_AddRot, which is used to assign an
additional rotation for each element with regard to the coordinate system "TankCenter".

2.6.3 Uvarm Subroutine


Since the material properties of the fiber have been smeared and transformed into axisymmetric coordinate
system, output quantities such as stress and strain are not readily available along the fiber direction. For this
reason, a toggle has been added to allow the creation of a UVARM subroutine which facilitates the
calculation of material properties along and transverse to the fiber direction. An output request is
automatically generated requesting Field Output for the corresponding UVARM variables. The strain
measured used are logarithmic, so the NLGEOM flag must be activated; otherwise the logarithmic strains will
show up as zero.

30
By default, the plug-in creates five UVARM output variables for axisymmetric shell and continuum
geometries are as follows:
UVARM1: wind angle in degrees
UVARM2: logarithmic strain along the fiber direction
UVARM3: logarithmic strain transverse to the fiber direction
UVARM4: logarithmic shear strain
UVARM5: stress in the fiber direction
UVARM6: stress transverse to the fiber direction
UVARM7: shear stress
Because we have the logarithmic strain in the pressure vessel coordinate reference frame and we know the
wind angle at each point along the dome, we are able to rotate these strains into a fiber direction coordinate
reference frame. For three-dimensional analyses, additional terms are added for fibers at the negative of the
wind angles. Specifically, the output variables are as follows:
UVARM1: wind angle in degrees
UVARM2: logarithmic strain along the fiber direction (positive angle)
UVARM3: logarithmic strain along the fiber direction (negative angle)
UVARM4: logarithmic strain transverse to the fiber direction (positive angle)
UVARM5: logarithmic strain transverse to the fiber direction (negative angle)
UVARM6: logarithmic shear strain (positive angle)
UVARM7: logarithmic shear strain (negative angle)
UVARM8: stress along the fiber direction (positive angle)
UVARM9: stress along the fiber direction (negative angle)
UVARM10: stress transverse to the fiber direction (positive angle)
UVARM11: stress transverse to the fiber direction (negative angle)
UVARM12: shear stress (positive angle)
UVARM13: shear stress (negative angle)
For Heat Transfer analyses, UVARM2 and UVARM3 are filled with the heat flux along and fibers and
transverse to the fibers.
For Coupled Temp-Displacement analyses two additional variables are added as the heat flux along the fiber
direction and transverse to the fiber direction. For the axisymmetric case these are:
UVARM8: heat flux along the fiber direction
UVARM9: heat flux transverse to fiber direction
For the three-dimensional case, the additional variables are:
UVARM14: heat flux along the fiber direction
UVARM15: heat flux transverse to fiber direction
An option is provided for allocating more memory for user-output variables. This is useful if the UVARM
subroutine is to be expanded to include more user-defined output variables. The plug-in then sets the *USER
OUTPUT VARIABLES keyword option in every material definition automatically. A source file, wcUvarmUtils.py,
is provided to allow automatic merging of user-defined UVARM coding with that created by the plug-in. Two
functions are provided: writeDeclarations and addExtra. The first inserts declarations statements immediately
following the generic declaration statements of the UVARM subroutine described in the Abaqus Users
Manual. The second inserts coding immediately following the plug-ins coding for filling its default UVARM
variables. The uvarm argument passed into both routines is the file object to be written to. The nextUvarm
argument is the first available UVARM (an integer) for user-definition. For example, referring to the lists

31
above, for an axisymmetric stress analysis the nextUvarm variable would be set to 8. The UVARM
subroutine is not available in Abaqus/Explicit so the UVARM toggle is stippled for the procedures related to
Abaqus/Explicit.

def writeDeclarations(uvarm):
uvarm.write(" C User-Defined Declaration Statements \n")
uvarm.write(" REAL pi\n")
....

def writeExtra(uvarm, nextUvarm):


uvarm.write("C User-Defined Uvarm Coding \n")
uvarm.write( CALL GETVRM('PE',ARRAY,JARRAY,FLGRAY,JRCD,JMAC, ,\n")
uvarm.write(" & JMATYP,MATLAYO ,LACCFLA) \n")
....
Figure 2.6.3: User-Defined Modifications to UVARM Subroutine

3. Running the Analysis


Upon generation of the model mesh, sections and material properties, a job definition with the same name as
the tank is also created. With all of these, a run-ready job is created and ready to be submitted. However, a
number of potential problems may arise. Firstly, the Uvarm routine may need to be renamed from .f to .for, or
vice verse. Other problems which can occur are related to running on a queuing system, or a cluster. These
potential problems are related to the files that are referenced by the input file and by the UVARM subroutine
if present.

A queuing system on a cluster usually runs a job on any number of nodes (servers) and the particular nodes
may vary from one job to another. In order to ensure that the proper files are available during a run, the clus-
ter queuing software is configured to copy certain types of files to whichever node the job ends up being run
on. Typically user subroutines and include files are properly copied to the node by the queuing software.
However, the UVARM subroutine written by the Wound Composite Modeler references a file with the exten-
sion .ang. This file contains wind angle information read by the UVARM routine. By default, the Wound Com-
posite Modeler hardwires the path of this file assuming it to be that of the current working directory detected
during the UVARM generation. When running on a queuing system, this path needs to be modified to a path
which will remain valid regardless of the node on which the job is run. In order to do this, the function is made
available in wcUvarmUtils.py. This function is called in order to set the path of the .ang file. The fullPath-
Name name variable is set in the first line of the function using the current working directory.

def getWindAngleFilePath(tankName):
fullPathName = '%s%s%s.ang' % (os.getcwd(), os.sep, tankName)
#fullPathName = "/your_directory/%s.ang" % tankName
return fullPathName

Uncomment the line in blue (remove the # sign) and insert a directory which will contain the .ang file and will
be accessible from any node on the cluster. This will allow the Uvarm subroutine to properly read the wind
angle information.

4. Output Processing
When the plug-in generates the COPV model, it automatically generates node sets named Layern along the
bottom of each layer where n is the layer number. The dialog accessed from by clicking on the post
processing icon, , automates the process of creating path plots along the interface between layers using

32
these node sets. The dialog is shown in the figure below. For each layer selected from the table, the script
first details the elements only in that particular layer, then sorts the nodes in the Layern node set from one
end to another, and creates an x-y curve of the chosen field variable along the list of nodes. Finally, all of the
x-y curves are combined into a single path plot as shown in Figure 4-2.
The field output variable, step number, and frame number must be selected prior to opening up the dialog.
An option to smooth out the curves is provided. The path plots can often contains significant spikes in
regions where on layer overlaps another. The Smoothing Factor option simply smoothes out these spikes as
shown in Figure 4-3 using a smoothing factor of 10.0.

Figure 4-1: Path Plot Dialog

33
Figure 4-2: Plot of Wind Angles

Figure 4-3: Path Plot with and without Smoothing

34
Figure 4-4: Wind Angle Contour Plot

5. Sample Test Cases

A number of QA problems have been included with the plug-in. Since these tests are fairly small but test all
of the plug-in functionality, it is recommended that these be run and experimented with in order to familiarize
oneself with the workings of the plug-in. Multiple tests may be selected to be run at one time. Three test
modes are provided:
Generate Model: Generates geometry, mesh, and material properties.
Run Full Analysis: Generates and runs model. The displacements in the y-direction at the ends of
tank are extracted and compared to archived results.
An Abaqus/CAE model named WcmTestModel_1-1 is created, for example, when test 1.1 is run. Thus if a
particular feature is of interest, you can scan through the test descriptions and run the test that best
describes the feature of interest. The resulting model will be created and readily available for editing and
testing.

35
Figure 5-1 QA Test Manager Dialog

6. Micromechanics Module
6.1 Introduction
Analysis of laminated composite structures using the Finite Element Method in Abaqus includes a composite
laminate as a homogeneous material with anisotropic properties. This typically requires the input of through-
the-thickness composite lay-up, defined by the individual ply angles, thickness of the plies, and the material
properties of the plies. The individual plies are assumed homogeneous and exhibit transverse isotropy
which require the use of directionally dependent ply properties. However, a ply typically constitutes of two
constituents; the reinforcing fibers arranged in a continuous supporting matrix. Therefore, the properties of
the composite ply are governed by the properties of the fiber, the properties of the matrix, and the fiber
volume fraction. The following Figure 6.1 is a schematic illustration of the influence of the fiber and matrix
properties on the global response of a finite element structural model.
Traditionally, the composite ply properties are estimated based on Rule-of-mixtures formulae [1]. Although
these closed-form solutions provide reasonable estimates of the composite ply properties, they do not
account for the micro-structural arrangement of the fibers in the matrix. A micromechanics model that
incorporates the lamina microstructure in calculating the anisotropic ply properties has been developed. This
documentation discusses its usage and provides some insight into the underlying theory for obtaining the
volume-averaged ply properties.

36
Figure 6.2: Schematic of the relationship between a composite structure and the constituents.

6.1.1 Plug-in Overview


Obtaining the composite ply properties using the Micromechanics plug-in primarily requires input of the fiber
properties, matrix properties, and fiber volume fraction, along with a selection of the microstructure for the
composite lamina. Invoking the plug-in begins by selecting the Plug-Ins->Micromechanics main menu item
which brings the Composite Micromechanics dialog box, depicted in Figure 6.1.1. All the required input for
this plug-in is provided through this dialog box. The plug-in calculates the lamina properties by simulating
uniaxial states of stresses in the composite. These volume-averaged uniaxial states of stresses are further
discussed in Section 6.5. Micromechanics Theory of this manual.

37
Figure6.1.1: The composite micromechanics plug-in dialog box.

6.2 Plug-in Usage


The micromechanics model depicted in Figure 6.1.1 requires input of the fiber properties, the matrix
properties, the fiber volume fraction, and the microstructural arrangement of the fibers in the matrix. The
details of the input are described in this section.

6.2.1 Fiber Packing Arrangement


The plug-in calculates the properties of the lamina taking into account the microstructural arrangement of the
fibers in the matrix. Two options are provided: Hexagonal Packing and Square Packing. Based on the
option selected (Microstructural Arrangement), the plug-in displays a schematic of the generated finite element
model, as depicted by Figure 6.2.1.

38
Figure 6.2.1: Schematic of the model for the two fiber packing options.

6.2.2 Fiber Volume Fraction


Volume fractions of the constituents is one of the influencing factors of the resulting composite lamina
properties. This is provided by the input box next to Fiber Volume Fraction, as depicted by Figure 6.2.2.

Figure 6.2.2: Fiber volume fraction input box

6.2.3 Fiber Elastic Properties


Properties of the fibers are provided through the fiber properties section of this plug-in as depicted in the
following Figure 6.2.3. It is assumed that the fibers are circular and exhibit transverse isotropy with the plane
of isotropy coinciding with that of the ply. Here, it is assumed that the 1 direction is the fiber direction and
the plane 2-3 is the plane of isotropy. Similar assumption applies to the ply properties calculated through this
plug-in where 1 direction stands for the fiber direction or longitudinal direction, 2 direction stands for the
transverse or the matrix direction, and 3 direction indicates the thickness direction.
A material name can be provided for the fiber in the box next to Fiber Material Name. Based on the assumption
of transverse isotropy, the required elastic properties to fully describe the mechanical behavior of the fibers
are E11 (Extensional Modulus E11), E 22 (Extensional Modulus E22), 12 (Poissons Ratio Nu12), 23 (Poissons Ratio
Nu23), and G12 (Shear Modulus G12) which are supplied by the user in the appropriate data boxes as shown
in Figure 5. Owing to the difficulty in obtaining experimentally measured shear modulus of the fibers an

39
Estimateoption is provided. Upon clicking this button, a dialog box as depicted in Figure 6.2.3 is displayed
with an estimate of G12 , based on E 22 and 12 , and the formula used. Note that upon the execution of the
plug-in a fiber material with the provided name and material properties will be created in a model named
HexPackModel or SqPackModel depending on the selection of the microstructural arrangement option.

Figure6.2.3-1: The fiber elastic properties.

Figure 3.2.3-2: Estimate for fiber shear modulus.

6.2.4 Matrix Elastic Properties


Matrix elastic properties are supplied to the plug-in in the matrix properties section as depicted in the
following Figure 6.2.4. It is assumed that the matrix is isotropic and therefore requires only the Extensional
modulus and the Poissons ratio.
A material name can be provided for the matrix in the box next to Matrix Material Name. Based on the
assumption of isotropy, the required elastic properties to fully describe the mechanical behavior of the matrix
are E (Extensional Modulus E) and (Poissons Ratio Nu) which are supplied by the user in the appropriate
data boxes as shown in Figure 6.2.4. Note that upon the execution of the plug-in a matrix material with the
provided name and material properties will be created in a model named HexPackModel (for hexagonal
packing microstructural arrangement option) or SqPackModel (for square packing).

Figure 6.2.4: The matrix elastic properties.

40
6.2.5 Thermal Expansion Properties
In addition to calculating the elastic properties of the ply, the thermal expansion coefficients of the ply can be
requested to be calculated by selecting Include Thermal Expansion Properties option (see Figure 6.2.5 below) and
then providing the coefficients of thermal expansion for the fiber and the matrix materials. Note that the
fibers are assumed transversely isotropic and therefore only require two coefficients of thermal expansion
11 (provided through Alpha 11 - Fiber) and 22 (provided through Alpha 22 - Fiber) whereas the matrix is
isotropic and only require (provided through Alpha - Matrix). The coefficients of thermal expansion for the
composite are calculated by simulating a load case where the finite element model is subjected to a uniform
temperature change.

Figure 6.2.5: Thermal expansion properties

6.2.6 Density Properties

In addition to calculating the thermo-elastic properties of the ply, the composite ply density can also be calcu-
lated based on rule-of-mixtures formula. Although this property does not require the use of a finite element
model for calculation, it is included here as density is one of most frequently used composite properties. This
calculation can be requested by selecting the Include Densities option as depicted in Figure 6.2.6 and providing
the Fiber Density and Matrix Density for the fiber and the matrix materials respectively. The calculated ply densi-
ty is listed next to Composite Density: label. Note that this sub-option uses the volume fraction supplied
through input box depicted in Figure 6.2.2.

Figure 6.2.6: Density properties

6.3 Plug-in Output


The primary function of the plug-in is to calculate the composite ply properties based upon the supplied fiber
and matrix properties. The resulting composite ply properties are displayed through a message box an
example of which is depicted in the following Figure 6.3. As illustrated in Figure 6.3, the properties of the
fiber, the matrix and the composite are presented in the message box. The same information is also written
to a text file titled Composite_Properties.txt which is created and placed in the current working directory.
In addition to the above mentioned text file, the plug-in creates a material with the resulting ply properties.
The name of the ply material is the same as that supplied in the input dialog box and depending on the
microstructural arrangement the ply material is either located in the model named HexPackModel
(hexagonal packing arrangement) or SqPackModel (for square packing assumption).

41
Figure 6.3: Composite properties message box.

6.4 Micromechanics Theory


The composite ply properties are calculated by simulating different states of stresses in the composite finite
element model.

6.4.1 Micromechanics unit cell geometry


The finite element micromechanics model is intended to represent a continuum point in a lamina. The
micromechanics model should therefore adhere to the concept of a Representative Volume Element (RVE)
that statistically represents the composite lamina. In an actual lamina, the fibers are randomly arranged in
the matrix and capturing the randomness requires the modeling of numerous fibers. To reduce the volume
of the RVE, periodicity is assumed whereby the randomness of the fiber locations is removed and the fibers
are assumed to be distributed in a uniform array and the RVE volume/geometry can be minimized to contain
one or two fibers.

42
Typically, it is assumed that the packing arrangement of the fibers in the matrix is either hexagonal packing
or square packing. The highlighted regions in the following figures schematically depict the unit cell
geometries representing the two packing arrangements.

Figure 6.4.1-1: Hexagonal packing unit cell and the corresponding finite element model.

Figure 6.4.1-2: Square packing unit cell and the corresponding finite element model.

6.4.2 Unit cell boundary conditions


The unit cell geometry is based on periodicity implying that the unit cell can be translated in the three direc-
tions to generate the entire lamina. This is incorporated into the finite element model through periodic
boundary conditions. The boundary conditions are derived using the mathematical representation of perio-
dicity as outlined by Whitcomb et al. [2] and are further discussed by Akula [3].

6.4.3 Volume-averaged ply properties


Based on the definition of a continuum point, the stress and strain tensor components can be described by
the following relations where domain D represents the domain of the continuum point (composite), V is the
volume, and X is the position vector representing a point in the domain.
1 1

VD ( X ) dV , ( X ) dV
VD
Equation 6.4.3.1: Volume-averaged stress and strain tensor components.

Extending the above definition to the constituents and expanding over the volume of the domain, the
following relationships are obtained where , f , and m are the volume-averaged stress tensor
components in the composite, fiber, and the matrix whereas , f , and m are the volume-averaged strain

43
tensor components and V f is the fiber volume fraction. Further discussion on volume-averaging can be
found in Nemat-Nasser and Hori [4].

V f f (1 V f ) m , V f f (1 V f ) m
Equation 6.4.3.2: Relationship between different volume-averaged tensor components.

Using these volume-averaged stress and strain tensor components, the volume-averaged composite ply
properties are calculated. However, several different load cases are needed for estimating the different ply
properties and the discussion of the same follows.

Load Case 1:
In the first load case, 11 0 and 22 33 12 13 23 0 for the composite. Note that although a
uniaxial state of stress exists in the composite, the constituents can still be subjected to multi-axial states of
stresses. Using this stress state, the lamina properties E11 , 12 , and 13 are calculated.

Load Case 2:
In the second load case, 22 0 and 11 33 12 13 23 0 for the composite. Using this stress
state, the lamina properties E 22 , 21 , and 23 are calculated.

Load Case 3:
In the third load case, 33 0 and 11 22 12 13 23 0 for the composite. Using this stress
state, the lamina properties E33 , 31 , and 32 are calculated.

Load Case 4:
In this load case, 12 0 and 11 22 32 13 23 0 for the composite. Using this stress state,
the lamina property G12 is calculated.

Load Case 5:
In this load case, 13 0 and 11 22 32 12 23 0 for the composite. Using this stress state,
the lamina property G13 is calculated.

Load Case 6:
In this load case, 23 0 and 11 22 32 12 13 0 for the composite. Using this stress state,
the lamina property G23 is calculated.

Uniform temperature change:


In this load case, the composite is subjected to a uniform temperature change, the magnitude of which is
equal to -1e-6/Alphamatrix. Using the obtained volume-averaged strains, the coefficients of thermal
expansion of the composite are calculated.

As part of the output a file titled HEXPACKPARTVolumeAveragedResults-VF-a.txt (for hexagonal packing)


or SQPACKPARTVolumeAveragedResults-VF-a.txt (for square packing) where a stands for the fiber
volume fraction, is created in the current working directory. This text file summarizes the volume-averaged
stresses and strains of the composite and the constituents.

44
7. Installation of WCM Plug-in
The Wound Composites Modeler for Abaqus installation disc contains a single folder named WCM which
contains all the files necessary to run the plug-in. This entire folder and all its subfolders should be installed
under an abaqus_plugins folder as described below and should only be run in Version 6.12 of Abaqus.

When you start Abaqus/CAE, it searches for plug-in files in the following directories and all their subdirecto-
ries:

abaqus_dir\code\python\lib\abaqus_plugins where abaqus_dir is the Abaqus parent directory.


home_dir\abaqus_plugins where home_dir is your home directory.
current_dir\abaqus_plugins where current_dir is the current directory.

Abaqus/CAE will import any files in these directories that match the naming convention *_plugin.py. The
abaqus_dir directory for Windows is usually C:\Abaqus\6.12-1 for Abaqus Version 6.12-1.

Thus, if it is preferred that any user in question who has access to the Abaqus installation be allowed access
to the plug-in, then the WCM folder should be copied to the abaqus_dir\cae\abaqus_plugins folder. If the
plug-in should be made available only on a user-by-user basis, then the WCM folder should be copied to a
folder named home_dir\abaqus_plugins in the users home directory.

8. References
WCM References
1 Willardson, R., Gray, D., DeLay, T., "Improvements in FEA of Composite Overwrapped Pressure
Vessels", CPV Symposium 2011, Belgium.
nd
2 Peters, S.T., Humphrey, W.D, and Foral, R.F., Filament Winding Composite Structure Fabrication, 2
Edition.
3 Gray, D.L., and Moser, D.J., Finite Element Analysis of a Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel,
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
4 Skinner, Michael, Trends, advances and innovations in filament winding, Reinforced Plastics,
February 2006.
5 T. Gll, R. Immel, T. Schtz, V. Schultheis, M. Shubert, CAE Process Chain for Strength and Crash-
Worthiness Prediction of Wet Wound High Pressure Composite Vessels. NAFEMS Proceedings,
November 6-7, 2007 Bad Kissingen, Germany.

Micromechanics References
1 Jones RM. Mechanics of Composite Materials. Second Edition, Taylor and Francis, 1999.
2 Whitcomb JD, Chapman CD, Tang X. Derivation of boundary Conditions for Micromechanics
Analyses of Plain and Satin Weave Composites, J Compos Mater, 2000;34(9):724-747.
3 Venkata Akula. Constitutive Modeling of Damaged Unidirectional Composite Laminae. PhD
Dissertation, University of Wyoming, 2008.
4 Nemat-Nasser S, Hori M. Micromechanics: Overall Properties of Heterogeneous Materials, Elsevier,
Asterdam (1993).

Abaqus References
For additional information on the Abaqus capabilities referred to in this brief please see the following Abaqus
Version 6.12 documentation references:
Analysis Users Manual
Abaqus GUI Toolkit User's Manual
Abaqus User's Manual

45

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