MULTI-SCALE MODELLING OF UNIDIRECTIONAL COMPOSITE UNDER LONGGITUDINAL TENSILE LOADING BASED ON THREE-DIMENSIONAL LOAD TRANSFER MECHANISMS

Abstract

Abstract: In this work, a 3D finite element model was established as a representative volume element (RVE) to analyze the load transfer mechanism of the unidirectional composite. The load transfer efficient and ineffective transfer length was defined in the model. The Monte-Carlo simulation was conducted based on the Weibull distribution of the tensile strength in a single fiber, which can simulate the progressive failure process and predict the failure strength of the composites. The data of the tensile strength of the single fiber for Toray T700 and T800 carbon fibers along with the same level of domestic carbon fibers GCT700 and GCT800 were tested. The Weibull distribution function was obtained by fitting the experimental results of single fiber tensile tests. The longitudinal tensile properties of unidirectional composites manufactured via autoclave process were investigated for the validation of the numerical model. Simulation of the progressive failure process was conducted for the composite and the predicted tensile strength of the unidirectional composite was obtained. Furthermore, the experimental and simulated results for different unidirectional composites were compared. The predicted values were in accordance with the experimental results, which proved that the model was valid for the failure process and strength prediction.

Key words: carbon fiber, strength, stress transfer, finite element analysis (FEA), numerical analysis, mechanical testing

CLC Number:

TB332

PAN Yue-xiu, YU Ya-lin, ZHU Shi-peng, QI Guo-cheng. MULTI-SCALE MODELLING OF UNIDIRECTIONAL COMPOSITE UNDER LONGGITUDINAL TENSILE LOADING BASED ON THREE-DIMENSIONAL LOAD TRANSFER MECHANISMS[J]. COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, 2015, 0(6): 5-11.

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