Experimental and numerical investigations of the interlaminar shear properties of carbon/carbon composites

Abstract

ABSTRACTExperimental tests and numerical simulations were implemented to investigate the interlaminar shear properties of carbon/carbon composites (C/Cs). A unit‐cell model, according to the microstructure of the C/Cs, was used to predict material properties of the C/Cs. A three‐dimensional finite element model was established to investigate the damage behavior of C/Cs on the basis of Linde failure criterion and damage evolution. Good agreement, in terms of the load force history and failure modes, was observed between the experimental and numerical results; this provided the applicability of the numerical simulation. The test results show that the interlaminar shear strength of the C/Cs was 10.52 MPa and the value of the simulation result was 10.89 MPa, with the relative error being less than 4%. Damage contours and stress distribution analysis of the simulation results are discussed. Fiber damage occurred at the bottom of the specimen, and matrix damage was found in the upper half of the specimen; this was similar to the appearance of the tested specimens. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44783.