Average Strain in Fiber Bundles and Its Effect on NCF Composite Stiffness

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. David Mattsson ◽  
Janis Varna

Transverse strain in bundles governs transverse cracking in noncrimp fabric (NCF) composites. Finite element (FE) analysis shows that this strain may be significantly lower than the applied macroscopic strain component in the same direction. This feature is important for damage evolution modeling. The isostrain assumption which in different combinations is widely used in stiffness models is inadequate because the strain in different mesoelements (bundles of different orientation and matrix regions) is assumed the same. Analyzing by FEM the importance of media surrounding the bundle on average transverse strain it was found that an increasing ratio of the bundle transverse stiffness to the matrix stiffness leads to a decrease of the strain in the bundle. An increase of the stiffness in the same direction in adjacent layers leads to an increase of the transverse strain in the bundle. Higher bundle volume fraction in the layer leads to larger transverse strain in the bundle. These trends are described by a power law and used to predict the average strain in bundles. The calculated H matrix which establishes the relationship between strains in the mesoelement and representative volume element strains is used to calculate the “effective stiffness” of the bundle. This effective stiffness is the main element in simple but exact expressions derived to calculate the stiffness matrix of NCF composites. Considering the three-dimensional (3D) FE model as the reference, it was found that all homogenization methods used in this study have sufficient accuracy for stiffness calculations, but only the presented method gives reliable predictions of strains in bundles.

Author(s):  
D. Zhang ◽  
A. M. Waas ◽  
M. Pankow ◽  
C. F. Yen ◽  
S. Ghiorse

The flexural response of a three-dimensional (3D) layer-to-layer orthogonal interlocked textile composite has been investigated under quasi-static three-point bending. Fiber tow kinking on the compressive side of the flexed specimens has been found to be a strength limiting mechanism for both warp and weft panels. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique has been utilized to map the deformation and identify the matrix microcracking on the tensile side prior to the peak load in the warp direction loaded panels. It has been shown that the geometrical characteristics of textile reinforcement play a key role in the mechanical response of this class of material. A 3D local–global finite element (FE) model that reflects the textile architectures has been proposed to successfully capture the surface strain localizations in the predamage region. To analyze the kink banding event, the fiber tow is modeled as an inelastic degrading homogenized orthotropic solid in a state of plane stress based on Schapery Theory (ST). The predicted peak stress is in agreement with the tow kinking stress obtained from the 3D FE model.


Author(s):  
Igor Tsukrov ◽  
Michael Giovinazzo ◽  
Kateryna Vyshenska ◽  
Harun Bayraktar ◽  
Jon Goering ◽  
...  

Finite element models of 3D woven composites are developed to predict possible microcracking of the matrix during curing. A specific ply-to-ply weave architecture for carbon fiber reinforced epoxy is chosen as a benchmark case. Two approaches to defining the geometry of reinforcement are considered. One is based on the nominal description of composite, and the second involves fabric mechanics simulations. Finite element models utilizing these approaches are used to calculate the overall elastic properties of the composite, and predict residual stresses due to resin curing. It is shown that for the same volume fraction of reinforcement, the difference in the predicted overall in-plane stiffness is on the order of 10%. Numerical model utilizing the fabric mechanics simulations predicts lower level of residual stresses due to curing, as compared to nominal geometry models.


1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. K. Sung ◽  
B. S. Thompson

An essential ingredient of the next generation of robotic manipulators will be high-strength lightweight arms which promise high-performance characteristics. Currently, a design methodology for optimally synthesizing these essential robotic components does not exist. Herein, an approach is developed for addressing this void in the technology-base by integrating state-of-the-art techniques in both the science of composite materials and also the science of flexible robotic systems. This approach is based on the proposition that optimal performance can be achieved by fabricating robot arms with optimal cross-sectional geometries fabricated with optimally tailored composite laminates. A methodology is developed herein which synthesizes the manufacturing specification for laminates which are specifically tailored for robotic applications in which both high-strength, high-stiffness robot arms are required which also possess high material damping. The parameters in the manufacturing specification include the fiber-volume fraction, the matrix properties, the fiber properties, the ply layups, the stacking sequence and the ply thicknesses. This capability is then integrated within a finite-element methodology for analyzing the dynamic response of flexible robots. An illustrative example demonstrates the approach by simulating the three-dimensional elastodynamic response of a robot subjected to a prescribed spatial maneuver.


Geophysics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. E247-E265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W. J. Glover

Archie’s law has been the standard method for relating the conductivity of a clean reservoir rock to its porosity and the conductivity of its pore fluid for more than [Formula: see text]. However, it is applicable only when the matrix is nonconducting. A modified version that allows a conductive matrix was published in 2000. A generalized form of Archie’s law is studied for any number of phases for which the classical Archie’s law and modified Archie’s law for two phases are special cases. The generalized Archie’s law contains a phase conductivity, a phase volume fraction, and phase exponent for each of its [Formula: see text] phases. The connectedness of each of the phases is considered, and the principle of conservation of connectedness in a three-dimensional multiphase mixture is introduced. It is confirmed that the general law is formally the same as the classical Archie’s law and modified Archie’s law for one and two conducting phases, respectively. The classical second Archie’s law is compared with the generalized law, which leads to the definition of a saturation exponent for each phase. This process has enabled the derivation of relationships between the phase exponents and saturation exponents for each phase. The relationship between percolation theory and the generalized model is also considered. The generalized law is examined in detail for two and three phases and semiquantitatively for four phases. Unfortunately, the law in its most general form is very difficult to prove experimentally. Instead, numerical modeling in three dimensions is carried out to demonstrate that it behaves well for a system consisting of four interacting conducting phases.


Author(s):  
M J Mahmoodi ◽  
M M Aghdam ◽  
M Shakeri

A three-dimensional micromechanics-based analytical model is presented to investigate the effects of initiation and propagation of interface damage on the elastoplastic behaviour of unidirectional SiC—Ti metal matrix composites (MMCs) subjected to off-axis loading. Temperature-dependent properties are considered for the matrix. Manufacturing process thermal residual stress (RS) is also included in the model. The selected representative volume element consists of r× c unit cells in which a quarter of the fibre is surrounded by matrix sub-cells. The constant compliance interface model is used to model interfacial debonding and the successive approximation method together with von Mises yield criterion is used to obtain elastoplastic behaviour. Dominance mode of damage including fibre fracture, interfacial debonding, and matrix yielding and ultimate tensile strength of the SiC—Ti MMC are predicted for various loading directions. The effects of thermal RS and fibre volume fraction on the stress—strain response of the SiC—Ti MMC are studied. Results revealed that for more realistic predictions, both interface damage and thermal RS effects should be considered in the analysis. The contribution of interfacial debonding and thermal RS in the overall behaviour of the material is also investigated. Comparison between results of the presented model shows very good agreement with the finite-element micromechanical analysis and experiment for various off-axis angles.


2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shriram Swaminathan ◽  
N. J. Pagano ◽  
Somnath Ghosh

This paper is aimed at analyzing stresses and fiber-matrix interfacial debonding in three-dimensional composite microstructures. It incorporates a 3D cohesive zone interface model based element to simulate interfacial debonding in the commercial code ABAQUS. The validated element is used to examine the potential debonding response in the presence of fiber–fiber interactions. A two-fiber model with unidirectional fibers is constructed and the effect of relative fiber spacing and volume fraction on the stress distribution in the matrix is studied. In addition, the effect of fiber orientation and spacing on the nature of initiation and propagation of interfacial debonding is studied in a two-fiber model. These results are expected to be helpful in formulating future studies treating optimal fiber orientations and payoff in controlling fiber spacing and alignment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yejie Shan ◽  
Guodong Nian ◽  
Qiang Xu ◽  
Weiming Tao ◽  
Shaoxing Qu

The failure behavior of the syntactic foams is investigated based on a three-dimensional (3D) micromechanical finite element (FE) model, by varying the volume fraction, the wall thickness of the hollow particles, and the interfacial strength. The maximum principal stress criterion is adopted to determine the state (damaged or undamaged) for both interface and matrix. Material property degradation is used to describe the mechanical behavior of those damaged elements. The current model can reasonably predict the tensile strength of the syntactic foams with high volume fractions (40%–60%). The failure mechanism of the syntactic foam under uniaxial tension is captured by analyzing the stress–strain curves and the contours of damaging evolution process. Results from the quantitative simulations demonstrate that the tensile strength of the syntactic foam can be improved effectively by enhancing the interfacial strength.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnab Chanda ◽  
Rebecca Graeter

Armors and military grade personal protection equipment (PPE) materials to date are bulky and are not designed to effectively mitigate blast impacts. In the current work, a human skin-like castable simulant material was developed and its blast mitigation characteristics (in terms of induced stress reduction at the bone and muscles) were characterized in the presence of composite reinforcements. The reinforcement employed was Kevlar 129 (commonly used in advanced combat helmets), which was embedded within the novel skin simulant material as the matrix and used to cover a representative extremity based human skin, muscle and bone section finite element (FE) model. The composite variations tested were continuous and short-fiber types, lay-ups (0/0, 90/0, and 45/45 orientations) and different fiber volume fractions. From the analyses, the 0/0 continuous fiber lay-up with a fiber volume fraction close to 0.1 (or 10%) was found to reduce the blast-induced dynamic stresses at the bone and muscle sections by 78% and 70% respectively. These findings indicate that this novel skin simulant material with Kevlar 129 reinforcement, with further experimental testing, may present future opportunities in blast resistant armor padding designing.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert de Montserrat Navarro ◽  
Manuele Faccenda

<p>Earth's mantle rocks are poly-aggregates where different mineral phases coexist.  These rocks may often be approximated as two-phase aggregates with a dominant phase and less abundant one (e.g. bridgmanite-ferropericlase aggregates in the lower mantle). Severe shearing of these rocks leads to a non-homogeneous partitioning of the strain between the different phases. The resulting bulk rock is mechanically not isotropic, and the elastic and the viscous tensor depend on the volume fraction and viscosity contrast between the mineral phases and the fabric.</p><p>Here we employ three-dimensional mechanical models to reproduce and parametrise fabrics typical of mantle rocks and quantify the evolution of the viscous tensor. These fabrics are produced by shearing a mechanically heterogeneous medium comprised by randomly distributed isotropic inclusions embedded in: i) a weak inclusion-strong matrix aggregate where strain is mainly accommodated by the weak phase, that flattens and yields a penetrative foliation; and, ii) a strong inclusion-weak matrix where strain is mainly accommodated by the matrix, in this case, the strong phase deforms primarily parallel to the direction of the flow, producing cigar-shaped inclusions.</p><p>Finally, we combine the fabric parametrisation of a two-phase aggregate with the Differential Effective Medium (DEM) theory to study the evolution of the viscous tensor and its effects in mantle dynamics. The results of two-dimensional models of thermal convection show that a viscosity contrast of one order of magnitude between the two mineral phases is enough to deflect mantle plumes and produce convection patterns that differ considerably from the ideal isotropic media.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-108
Author(s):  
Nilesh Tiwari ◽  
AbdulHafiz A. Shaikh

Abstract The influence of a wide temperature range in the glass transition region of a shape memory polymer (SMP) matrix on micro-buckling of the fiber reinforcements in shape memory polymer composites (SMPC) under large bending deformation is described. Analytical expressions to estimate the strain energy, neutral strain surface, critical buckling surface and half wavelength of the buckled fibers in the SMPC are presented based on the minimum energy method. This study considers the reinforced fibers as three-dimensional elastic bodies and the matrix as a temperature stimulated flat plate. A comprehensive study was performed to understand the dynamic temperature behavior of the micro-buckled fibers and corresponding results were validated by previous works in the literature. The effects of fiber volume fraction and thickness of the SMPC plates on the half wavelength are also discussed along with the simultaneous influence of temperature on the parameters computed in the minimum energy analysis.


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