Tensile failure study of 3D printed PLA using DIC technique and FEM analysis

Abstract

The paper presents the experimental and numerical study of the failure behaviour of Fused Filament Fabricated (FFF) Polylactic Acid (PLA) samples subjected to tensile load. The examined samples are printed in flat orientation with 0°, 45° and 90° raster angles. During the experiments the deformation of the specimens is continuously scanned with the 3D Aramis measuring system utilizing the digital imaging correlation technique, enabling the determination of strain and stress distribution. In the modelling, it is assumed that each printed layer is a homogeneous transversely isotropic medium with the raster direction treated as the favoured one. The finite element models are developed in the Abaqus-Standard package. A two-dimensional equivalent single-layer approach is utilized to describe the deformation and stress state of the samples. The failure progress of the material is simulated by making use of the Hashin damage algorithm with energy-based softening, whereas the non-linear in-plane shear behaviour is included.