Electromagnetic Modeling of Damaged Single-Layer Fiber-Reinforced Laminates

Computational modeling of a composite laminate made of a homogeneous planar slab wherein circular cylindrical fibers are periodically embedded is carried out when various damages affect the structure and destroy periodicity. Methods based on the Floquet theorem are inapplicable in direct manner. Supercell methodology yields a fictitious periodic structure, so as the electromagnetic field solution everywhere in space can be accurately modeled, provided that the supercell is large enough. Damages include missing, displaced, shrinked and/or expanded fibers, and cylindrical homogeneous inclusions. Plane-wave and line-source illuminations are accounted for in both TE and TM polarizations. Since often a prerequisite to imaging of damages, Green's functions are considered in detail and computed with the array scanning method. A set of simulations is proposed, with comparison with a standard finite-element approach, and modeling accuracy and efficiency are discussed.