Efficient progressive failure analysis of multi-stringer stiffened composite panels through a two-way loose coupling global-local approach

The potential to carry out a progressive failure analysis for large stiffened panels is illustrated firstly through the analysis of a two-stringer panel with a local defect, in which the adjusted rules to define the local models are applied, and subsequently concretized by applying the approach to a large stiffened composite panel with five stringers. A comparison between the results of the global-local coupling analysis and a reference analysis with shell elements including degradation is presented and the results are discussed. The results of the numerical analyses of the large panel are also compared with experimental results available.