Study Of Fiber Composite Failure Criterion

Abstract

AbstractWith a recently developed numerical technique, we have investigated failure processes in real fiber composites. This technique utilizes 3D lattice Green's functions to calculate load transfer from broken to unbroken fibers, and also includes the important effects of fiber/matrix sliding. It is found that the failure processes are more complex than previously thought: The fibers that break or slide are not necessarily located around the largest defect cluster. Rather, the breaking/sliding fibers accumulate, form several large clusters, coalesce and finally cause the fiber composite to fail. Only in some cases does one large defect dominate the damage evolution. Based on our observations of the irregular evolution of the damage, a simple model is developed to describe these different failure modes, and the failure criterion of the fiber composite is also discussed.