Probabilistic analysis and integrity assessment of filament wound CFRP pressure vessels accounting for stochastically distributed micro defects

The present contribution deals with an integrity assessment of filament wound CFRP pressure vessels used as high pressure propellant or storage vessels. Based on a non-destructive inspection using X-ray computed tomography, a probabilistic scheme for integrity assessment is implemented, considering the effect of typical, inherently manufacturing induced defects which are statistically distributed through the material. For the integrity assessment itself, a customized damage mechanics material model is developed and implemented as user-defined material model into a commercial finite element code. The model is validated against an experimental data base on coupon and full-scale structural tests.