A review of multi-scale numerical modeling of three-dimensional woven fabric

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) woven composites have found extensive applications in various areas, owing to the high resistance of impact and delamination, great design ability, and ease of processing. Mechanical properties of 3D woven composites are intimately linked with the structure of the fabrics, the relationship between them can be scientifically analyzed through numerical models. The key to establishing the numerical model is to describe the fabric structural geometry accurately. However, the multi-scale nature and complex internal weave structure of the 3D woven fabrics increase the challenge of modeling. There are many different numerical models on different scales, but one common goal is to simulate the real fabric structure and properties. A comprehensive literature survey is conducted to review the numerical analysis methods of 3D woven fabric from the perspective of multi-scale and highlight the recent progress of modeling methods at the mesoscale and microscale. An analysis of various models of virtual fiber is presented, and discusses the methods involved in the detection and modeling of contact-friction interactions between fibers. This paper attempts to provide a reference for the simulation research of 3D woven fabric.