On the Application of Energy Method for the Numerical Evaluation of the Effective Dissipative Properties of Composites

This paper provides the model of the composite material using the energy method to determine its effective energy dissipation characteristics. There are employs finite element modelling of a representative volume element and setting equal its strain energy complex values to the equivalent homogeneous material volume one. The results of the calculations imply that a composites representative volume element can be used to analyze the energy dissipation characteristics in the viscoelastic composite components structures elements, which are made of them. Thus, the analysis of the ratio between the dissipated energy in the epoxy matrix material and dissipated energy in the layers of carbon/epoxy laminates for the different values of carbon volume fraction is performed using the model. The efficiency of the proposed model aimed at the dissipative properties of various types of composites is also shown.