Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Thomas Güll

Valentin Schultheis

Stephan Fell

A method for calculating multi-directional composites in FEM simulations for designing a high pressure tank. The method starts by reading data for the simulation including fiber orientation and composite material properties. Then, for every FEM element, the method calculates the stiffness of directional plies and converts the calculated stiffness into a local coordinate system for each ply. The method then calculates the stiffness of packets of fiber orientations as a layer set-up. The method then calculates engineering constants for the layer set-up and the equivalents for the stress limit for the layer set-up. The method then uses the engineering constants to calculate the stresses on the FEM elements and determines whether the calculated stress is above a predetermined stress limit for each element. If the calculated stress is above the stress limit, then the algorithm switches to a complex calculation of stress that calculates the stress for each ply.

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Munich, Georgia

Thomas Güll