A numerical approach to simulate printed electronics on fiber reinforced composites

Printed conductive paths can transmit electrical information and form an alternative to conventional wiring. In lightweight applications, where the reduction of weight is crucial, printed conductive paths and electronics could help to diminish the total mass of the structure. A possible application in aeronautics is Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) - a collective term describing the structural integration of electronics that serve as a central nervous system to detect damages. As the electronics cannot only be printed on surfaces but also in between the layers of CFRP materials, it is currently under investigation whether the electronics favor delamination. To describe the electronics-CFRP interface failure numerically, a suitable approach for a finite element analysis shall be found. Based on a homogenized and simplified description of the interface, different numerical approaches are presented and advantages and disadvantages are considered. The most promising approach is discussed in greater detail and first numerical simulations are shown. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)