Finite element analysis of the thermal residual stress distribution in the interphase of unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin matrix composites

Abstract

By means of three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) which is based upon the micro-mechanical model of fiber-reinforced composites, this paper selects representative volume elements and studies the effect of the five factors, namely, cooling rate, matrix elasticity modulus, fiber elasticity modulus, interphase elasticity modulus and fiber volume fraction, on the interphase thermal residual stress and its distribution law in epoxy resin NPEF-170/unidirectional glass fiber composites. The results indicate that thermal residual stress is mainly distributed on the fiber and the matrix of neighboring interphase; the thermal residual stress on the fiber and the matrix declines as the distance to the interphase layer grows; and it tends to zero at the distance of 1.5 times the radius of the fiber away from the interphase. The increase in any of the four factors, namely, cooling rate, matrix elasticity modulus, fiber elasticity modulus, and fiber volume fraction would trigger the rise of thermal residual stress in epoxy resin NPEF-170/unidirectional glass fiber composites. The additional flexible interphase layer can eliminate and transfer thermal residual stress effectively, whose effectiveness mainly depends on the difference between interphase elasticity modulus and fiber elasticity modulus.