Atoms to assemblies: A physics-based hierarchical modelling approach for polymer composite components

The development of new composite materials requires analysis and experimentation spanning scales from nanometres to metres, from “atoms to assemblies”. In this paper, concerned primarily with fibre reinforced epoxy composites, a methodology is presented which allows continuum level structural simulation to account for nano- and micro-scale size effects in composites. The novelty of this approach is the modular hierarchical nature of the simulation which ensures computational tractability, regardless of the length scales considered. Linking the nano-scale to the macroscopic scale in a single simulation allows for holistic materials development, including the addition of nano-additives to polymer resin systems.