Prediction of allowable compression load for notched composite laminates combining FEA simulation and machine learning

Determining the allowable compression load (ACL) of notched composite laminates (NCL) requires consideration of buckling, intra- and inter-laminar damage, which is a costly and repetitive task due to the high dimensional and nonlinear relation of ACL to the numerous design variables. In this work, a high-throughput finite element analysis (FEA) and machine learning (ML) combined approach is proposed to predict ACL of laminates. First, the high-throughput FEA model of NCL covering all of the design variables is generated, and the corresponding critical compression loads in terms of buckling, intra- and inter-laminar damage are obtained. Then, ML models are trained, with inputs being the design variables of NCL and outputs being the critical compression loads. ACL and initial failure mode are determined by the minimum compression load of the three failure modes. Moreover, transfer learning is introduced to laminates with new design variables of new ply number, notch shape and laminate type. By fine-tuning the pre-trained ML model using scarce new data, the fine-tuned models are suitable for new laminates. Consequently, ACL and initial failure mode of notched laminates with various design variables are predicted.