Benchmark solution for degradation of elastic properties due to transverse matrix cracking in laminated composites

2013 ◽  
Vol 98 ◽  
pp. 242-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.J. Barbero ◽  
F.A. Cosso ◽  
F.A. Campo
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyotikalpa Bora ◽  
Sushen Kirtania

Abstract A comparative study of elastic properties and mode I fracture energy has been presented between conventional carbon fibre (CF)/epoxy and advanced carbon nanotube (CNT)/epoxy laminated composite materials. The volume fraction of CNT fibres has been considered as 15%, 30%, and 60% whereas; the volume fraction of CF has been kept constant at 60%. Three stacking sequences of the laminates viz.[0/0/0/0], [0/90/0/90] and [0/30/–30/90] have been considered in the present analysis. Periodic microstructure model has been used to calculate the elastic properties of the laminated composites. It has been observed analytically that the addition of only 15% CNT in epoxy will give almost the same value of longitudinal Young’s modulus as compared to the addition of 60% CF in epoxy. Finite element (FE) analysis of double cantilever beam specimens made from laminated composite has also been performed. It has been observed from FE analysis that the addition of 15% CNT in epoxy will also give almost the same value of mode I fracture energy as compared to the addition of 60% CF in epoxy. The value of mode I fracture energy for [0/0/0/0] laminated composite is two times higher than the other two types of laminated composites.


An experimental investigation has been carried out on the mechanical properties of unidirectional (0) 12 , (0, 90) 3S , (±45, 0 2 ) S , and (±45) 3S composites consisting of CAS glass ceramic reinforced with Nicalon SiC fibres. Measurements have been made of the elastic properties and of the tensile, compression and shear strengths of the composites, and these have been supported by a detailed study of the damage which occurs during monotonic and repeated loading. These damage studies have been carried out by means of edge replication microscopy and acoustic emission monitoring. The elastic properties of the composites are, by and large, close to the values that would be predicted from the constituent properties and lay-up sequences, but their strengths are lower than expected, and it appears that the Nicalon reinforcing fibre has been seriously degraded during manufacture. The fracture energy is much higher than predicted from observations of fibre pull-out, and it is suggested that the energy required to form a close three-dimensional network of matrix cracks could account for the high apparent toughness. The matrix cracking stress can be predicted reasonably closely by the Aveston, Cooper and Kelly model of cracking in brittle matrix composites, but it is shown that subcritical microcracks can form and/or grow at stresses well below the predicted critical values without affecting composite properties.


Author(s):  
Abhilash M. Nagaraja ◽  
Suhasini Gururaja

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are a promising subclass of composite materials suitable for high temperature applications. CMCs exhibit multiple damage mechanisms such as matrix cracking, interphase debonding, fiber sliding, fiber pullout, delaminations etc. Additionally, process induced defects such as matrix porosity exists at multiple length scales and has a considerable influence on the mechanical and failure behavior of CMCs. In the current work, the effect of intra-tow porosity, which exist at the micro-scale, on the mechanical behavior of CMCs has been investigated by numerical homogenization. Micro-scale response of 3 phase CMCs with intra tow pores has been obtained by finite element analysis based homogenization. Pores have been modeled as non-intersecting ellipsoids in a square unit cell representative of matrix material. The effective mechanical properties of porous matrix at the micro scale has been obtained from numerical homogenization, which are in good agreement with Mori-Tanaka mean field theory. The obtained matrix elastic properties have then been included in a three phase unit cell consisting of fiber, interphase and matrix representative of CMC microstructure. The effect of porosity volume fraction and aspect ratio on the effective elastic properties of the composite have been reported. Homogenization approach to model statistical distribution of pore size obtained from X-ray computed tomography of CMC minicomposite has been proposed.


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