On asymmetric failure in additively manufactured continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites

Abstract

Due to a filament-by-filament and layer-by-layer structure produced by an additive manufacturing (or namely 3D printing) technique, mechanical properties of 3D printed materials diverge considerably from those of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites made by traditional processes. This study aims to experimentally characterize their mechanical properties through the off-axis tensile, compressive and V-notch shear tests. Advanced imaging techniques, such as digital image correlation (DIC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and computed tomography (CT), are used to investigate anisotropic nature of materials and failure mechanisms of the 3D printed CFRP composites. The applicability of conventional failure criteria to the 3D printed CFRP composites, including Tsai-Wu, Tsai-Hill, Hoffman, Maximum Stress, Hashin, Puck and LaRC05, is assessed systematically. The experimental results divulge that the filament-by-filament and layer-by-layer features intrinsic to 3D printed CFRP composites lead to an uneven yet organized distribution of voids. This characteristic contributes on the development of claw mark strain patterns, parallel track inter-fiber failure patterns, and distinct compression failure modes such as delamination and interlayer crack under loading perpendicular to the fiber direction. The voids in the 3D printed CFRP materials are partially responsible for the significant asymmetry when off-axis angle increases. Notably, the conventional failure criteria exhibit limited capability for predicting the off-axis tensile strength accurately. This phenomenon can be attributed to the redistribution of inherent fiber waviness as the fiber encounters tensile loads. Based on the experimental results, the inter-fiber failure as per the LaRC05 is modified to obtain an enhanced failure criterion for predicting the off-axis tensile strength. This study is expected to provide fundamental understanding of structural characteristics and mechanical properties for 3D printed CFRP composites.