Peridynamics for analysis of failure in advanced composite materials

Peridynamics has been recently introduced as a way to simulate the initiation and propagation of multiple discontinuities (e.g. cracks). It is an alternative to classical continuum damage mechanics and fracture mechanics and is based on a nonlocal rewriting of the equilibrium equation. This new technique is particularly promising in the case of composite materials, in which very complex mechanisms of degradation must be described. We present here some fundamental aspects of peridynamics models for composite materials, and especially laminates. We also propose an approach to couple peridynamics domains with classical continuum mechanics (which relies on the concept of contact forces) by the use of a recently introduced coupling technique: the morphing technique, that appears to be a very versatile and powerful tool for coupling local to nonlocal descriptions.