Abstract
Lack of energy dissipation is one of the shortcomings of conventional glass fiber reinforced composites. The addition of steel fibers to the conventional FRP composite to create a hybrid composite has been recently investigated as an option to address this limitation. The current literature is limited to composites reinforced with metal and non-metal fibers of the same alignment. In this study, hybrid and nonhybrid FRP composites of different layups, fiber content, and weave type were manufactured and subjected to hysteretic tensile loads. Woven glass fabrics in ±45° orientation were hybridized with unidirectional stainless steel fabrics in 0° and 90° orientations. This put the glass and steel layers in in-plane shear and normal stresses, respectively. The nonlinear stress–strain relationship, residual plastic strains, energy dissipation capability, and failure mechanisms of hybrid and nonhybrid composite type were compared. The hybrid composites presented improved energy dissipation, tensile strength, and stiffness when compared to nonhybrid ones. The applicability of an existing constitutive model that was originally developed for in-plane shear of conventional composites was investigated and refinements were proposed to present the hysteretic stress–strain relationship after addition of steel fibers. The refined model captured the increased plastic strain values and energy dissipation because of stainless steel fibers in the hybrid composite samples. An Armstrong–Frederick plasticity model was implemented to model the stress–strain relationship of the stainless steel composite samples.
Highlights
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are commonly comprised of glass or carbon fibers set in a resin matrix to form high-strength and stiffness material [1] whose behavior can be modeled using continuum damage mechanics (CDM)
This study investigated the mechanical performance of both hybrid and nonhybrid composites
This study investigated the mechanical performance of both hybrid and nonhybrid composites containing Type 316 stainless steel UD fibers in a 0◦ /90◦ layup and either 8H satin weave S-glass fibers or 4H modified twill weave E-glass fibers in a ±45◦ layup
Summary
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are commonly comprised of glass or carbon fibers set in a resin matrix to form high-strength and stiffness material [1] whose behavior can be modeled using continuum damage mechanics (CDM). The brittle behavior of the conventional reinforcing fibers limits energy dissipation characteristics of composites [2]. Hybridization of these fibers with a ductile reinforcement has shown potential to address this shortcoming. CDM models to predict the hysteretic stress–strain behavior and energy dissipation of hybrid FRP composites with ductile reinforcement has yet to be proven. The objective of this study was to obtain experimental hysteresis stress–strain curves of hybrid fiberglass composites with ductile stainless steel reinforcement and accurately simulate these results using a CDM model that captures the energy dissipation of the entire hysteresis curve.
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