A refined modelling approach for plain-woven composites based on virtual fiber embedding technique with weaving process simulation

A refined modelling approach was developed to capture the real fiber bundle morphology and microstructural characteristics of plain-woven SiC_f/SiC composites. Using the virtual fiber embedding (VFE) technique, a single-cell model was constructed, and an energy-weighted stiffness correction method for nonlinear conditions was proposed, reducing the stress calculation error due to stiffness redundancy from 23.85% to 9.22%. To account for fiber damage caused by fiber bundle morphology changes, simulations of the plain weaving and compaction processes were performed. By integrating microfiber material direction and fiber volume fraction data from these simulations, a refined single-cell model was established. Compared to idealized models, the VFE-based model, which accounts for the effects of the weaving process, reduces the fatigue life prediction error from 43.96% to 20.30%.