Analysis of Formation of the Critical State in Tensile Failure of Unidirectional Composites

Author(s):  
Linqi Zhuang ◽  
Ramesh Talreja

Unidirectional (UD) composites are building blocks in most load bearing structural components for lightweight applications in aerospace, automotive and wind energy industries. The loss of the structural load bearing capacity is governed by the instability of the fiber breakage process in the UD composites. When subjected to increasing or repeated tensile loading along fiber direction, the first failure event within these composites occurs as discrete fibers break at weak points followed by fiber/matrix debonding due to high stress concentration caused by fiber breaks. Upon further loading, or on repeated loading, more fiber breaks occur along with other accumulated damage events such as debond growth and matrix cracking. Final failure of a UD composite occurs when a critical fracture plane is formed by interconnecting individual broken fibers and associated debonding through matrix cracking. This failure process has emerged from numerous experimental studies, which also suggest that the critical fracture plane contains only a small number of broken fibers for commonly used composites such as glass/epoxy and carbon/epoxy. However, the mechanisms underlying the critical fracture plane formation are not clear. As the first step to clarify the creation of a critical fracture plane, the conditions for connectivity of a broken fiber end with neighboring broken fibers is studied in this work. In order to investigate the local stress field surrounding the broken fiber, a finite element (FE) model is constructed in which six neighboring fibers are placed as a ring of concentric axisymmetric cylinder embedded in the matrix. The discrete fiber region is surrounded by a concentric outer cylinder ring of homogenized composite. The entire FE model is subjected to axial tensile loading. To account for the consequence of the stress enhancement at the broken fiber end, a debond crack at the fiber/matrix interface extending a short distance from the fiber end is included in the analysis. Realizing that the debond crack by itself would not connect with other fiber failures, focus of the stress and failure analysis is placed on deviation of the debond crack laterally into the matrix. For this purpose, matrix cracking in two possible modes — ductile and brittle — is considered, Energy based criteria are used to study the competition between the cracking modes and the crack path into the matrix from the end of debond to the neighboring fibers is determined. Next the failure of the neighboring fibers caused by the intense stress field accompanying the matrix cracks is studied. The conditions for generating a plane connecting the initially broken fiber end to subsequent fiber failures are finally determined. Further ongoing studies are aimed at clarifying the limiting conditions for avoiding the fiber failure criticality, and thereby improving the load bearing capacity of UD composites. The statistical considerations regarding fiber failure will also be incorporated in these studies.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Muir ◽  
B. Swaminathan ◽  
K. Fields ◽  
A. S. Almansour ◽  
K. Sevener ◽  
...  

AbstractIn this work, we demonstrate that damage mechanism identification from acoustic emission (AE) signals generated in minicomposites with elastically similar constituents is possible. AE waveforms were generated by SiC/SiC ceramic matrix minicomposites (CMCs) loaded under uniaxial tension and recorded by four sensors (two models with each model placed at two ends). Signals were encoded with a modified partial power scheme and subsequently partitioned through spectral clustering. Matrix cracking and fiber failure were identified based on the frequency information contained in the AE event they produced, despite the similar constituent elastic properties of the matrix and fiber. Importantly, the resultant identification of AE events closely followed CMC damage chronology, wherein early matrix cracking is later followed by fiber breaks, even though the approach is fully domain-knowledge agnostic. Additionally, the partitions were highly precise across both the model and location of the sensors, and the partitioning was repeatable. The presented approach is promising for CMCs and other composite systems with elastically similar constituents.


2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinji Ogihara ◽  
Akira Kobayashi ◽  
Takamoto Ishiguro ◽  
Nobuo Otani

The effect of thermal cycling on the mechanical properties of composite materials is an important issue in engineering, especially in their applications to the space environment. The present study concerned with the experimental study of both the thermal cycling induced matrix cracking and the effect of thermal cycling on the matrix cracking behavior under tensile loading in CFRP laminates. Two kinds of carbon/epoxy systems, T800H/3631 and T300/2500, are used for the laminate configurations of (0/90)s and (90/0)s. The specimens are thermally cycled between −196 and 100°C. Thermal cycling tests are performed up to 1000 cycles. The polished edge surfaces of specimens are examined by the replica technique, and then the matrix crack density is measured as a function of the number of thermal cycles. It is found that the first matrix cracking in (0/90)s and (90/0)s laminates occurs at almost the same numbers of thermal cycles. It is also found that the matrix crack density increases more rapidly in (0/90)s laminates than in (90/0)s laminates in both material systems. To investigate the effect of thermal cycling on matrix cracking behavior under tensile loading, a series of tensile tests on thermally cycled specimens are performed. The effect of thermal cycling on matrix cracking under tension is evaluated in terms of the change in the critical energy release rate and the critical stress for matrix cracking.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Hirano ◽  
K. Usami ◽  
Y. Tanaka ◽  
C. Masuda

Internal damage in metal matrix composite (MMC) under static tensile loading was observed by in situ x-ray computed tomography based on synchrotron radiation (SR-CT). A tensile testing sample stage was developed to investigate the fracture process during the tensile test. Aluminum alloy matrix composites reinforced by long or short SiC fibers were used. The projection images obtained under tensile loading showed good performance of the sample stage, and matrix deformation and breaks of the long SiC fibers could be observed. In the CT images taken at the maximum stress just before failure, debondings of the short SiC fibers to the matrix, many pullouts of the fibers, and matrix cracking could be clearly observed. The in situ SR-CT allowed the observation of generation and growth of such defects under different tensile stress levels. The results from the nondestructive observation revealed that the MMC was broken by propagation of the matrix cracks which might be caused by stress concentration at the ends of the short fibers. A three-dimensional CT image reconstructed from many CT images provided easy understanding of the fiber arrangement, crack shape, and form of the void caused by fiber pullout. In situ SR-CT is a useful method for understanding failure mechanisms in advanced materials.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Weihan Wang ◽  
Weifang Zhang ◽  
Shengwang Liu ◽  
Xiaoshuai Jin

T700/6808 composite has been widely used in aerospace field and the damage in composite will seriously influence the safety of aircraft. However, the behavior of damage evolution in T700/6808 composite when it suffered from tensile loading is seldom researched. In this paper, the acoustic emission (AE) technology is employed to research the process of damage evolution in T700/6808 composite under tensile loading. Results show that the damage in T700/6808 composite is small in the initial stage of tensile loading, and main damage is the matrix cracking. The composite has serious damage in the middle stage of tensile loading, which mainly includes the matrix cracking and the interface damage as well as the fiber breakage. The number of fiber breakages decreases rapidly in the later stage of tensile loading. When it comes into the stage of load holding, the composite has relatively smaller damage than that in the stage of tensile loading, and the fiber breakage rarely occurs in the composite. Analysis of damage modes shows that the criticality of the matrix cracking and the interface damage is higher than the fiber breakage, which illustrates that the reliability of T700/6808 composite could be improved by the optimization of matrix and interface.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 4914
Author(s):  
Dario De Domenico ◽  
Davide Messina ◽  
Antonino Recupero

Bridges constitute important elements of the transportation network. A vast part of the Italian existing infrastructural system dates to around 60 years ago, which implies that the related bridge structures were constructed according to past design guidelines and underwent a probable state of material deterioration (e.g., steel corrosion, concrete degradation), especially in those cases in which proper maintenance plans have not been periodically performed over the structural lifetime. Consequently, elaborating rapid yet effective safety assessment strategies for existing bridge structures represents a topical research line. This contribution presents a systematic experimental–numerical approach for assessing the load-bearing capacity of existing prestressed concrete (PC) bridge decks. This methodology is applied to the Longano PC viaduct (southern Italy) as a case study. Initially, natural frequencies and mode shapes of the bridge deck are experimentally identified from vibration data collected in situ through Operational Modal Analysis (OMA), based on which a numerical finite element (FE) model is developed and calibrated. In situ static load tests are then carried out to investigate the static deflections under maximum allowed serviceability loads, which are compared to values provided by the FE model for further validation. Since prestressing strands appear corroded in some portions of the main girders, numerical static nonlinear analysis with a concentrated plasticity approach is finally conducted to quantify the effects of various corrosion scenarios on the resulting load-bearing capacity of the bridge at ultimate limit states. The proposed methodology, encompassing both serviceability and ultimate conditions, can be used to identify critical parts of a large infrastructure network prior to performing widespread and expensive material test campaigns, to gain preliminary insight on the structural health of existing bridges and to plan a priority list of possible repairing actions in a reasonable, safe, and costly effective manner.


Author(s):  
Mohamed S. Aly-Hassan ◽  
Yuka Takai ◽  
Asami Nakai ◽  
Hiroyuki Hamada ◽  
Yohei Shinyama ◽  
...  

The goal of this research is to provide a sufficient understanding for the damage mechanism of ±45° flat braided CFRP composites under tensile loading based on in-situ macroscopic observations of surface cracking and off-line measurements for the state-of-fibers by Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) technique to analyze the effect of the continuously oriented of all braided fiber bundles on the tensile and in-plane shear properties. SQUID technique displays an effective capability in inspection the state-of-fiber failure, whereas the in-situ surface macroscopic observation technique is very useful in observing the surface matrix cracking at different stages of damage. The damage mechanism of uncut-edges and cut-edges of ±45° flat braided CFRP composites are identified adequately by the above-mentioned experimental procedure. The cut-edges ±45° flat braided CFRP composites exhibit a pure shear damage mechanism associated with large shear deformation and no significant fiber failure, while the uncut-edges ±45° flat braided CFRP composites exhibit a slight fiber scissoring mechanism followed by a partially fiber failure. The enhancement of the tensile and in-plane strengths of the uncut-edges ±45° flat braided CFRP composites by about 60% higher than those of the cut-edges ±45° flat braided CFRP composites achieves not only by the effect of the continuously oriented carbon fibers at the edges but also by the effect of re-orientation of braiding fiber bundles with smaller angle than the original ±45° braiding angle of the fabricated composites, or so called fiber scissoring mechanism in composites.


1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-453
Author(s):  
U. K. Vaidya ◽  
P. K. Raju

In the fabrication of carbon-carbon (C/C) composites, the first carbonization process is crucial, as the mechanical properties of the composite are completely altered at this stage. Some predominant effects of this process, in the composite, are development of delaminations, fiber breaks, distributed porosity and formation of transverse cracks in the matrix. These effects are to some extent, beneficial, during latter processing of the composite. However, excessive occurrence of any of these effects is undesirable. Keeping this in view, the present study focuses on the utilization of acoustic emission (AE) (as a nondestructive evaluation (NDE)) technique for identification and characterization of failure modes of C/C composites at several processing stages of C/C composites. Primarily, acoustic emission (AE) has been used to study the failure modes of C/C composites at the as-cured, carbonized and densified stages using AE parameters such as the peak amplitude, event duration and energy content of the AE signals. These parameters have been related to the initiation and progression of matrix cracking, fiber breakage and delaminations which occur in the composite at the as-cured, carbonized and densified stages.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
Per Heyser ◽  
Vadim Sartisson ◽  
Gerson Meschut ◽  
Marcel Droß ◽  
Klaus Dröder

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-100
Author(s):  
Oana Tanculescu ◽  
Adrian Doloca ◽  
Raluca Maria Vieriu ◽  
Florentina Mocanu ◽  
Gabriela Ifteni ◽  
...  

The load-bearing capacity and fracture pattern of direct inlay-retained FRC FDPs with two different cross-sectional designs of the ponticwere tested. The aim of the study was to evaluate a new fibre disposition. Two types of composites, Filtek Bulk Fill Posterior Restorative and Filtek Z250 (3M/ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA), and one braided polyethylene fibre, Construct (Kerr, USA) were used. The results of the study suggested that the new tested disposition of the fibres prevented in some extend the delamination of the composite on buccal and facial sides of the pontic and increased the load-bearing capacity of the bridges.


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