Particle fracture in high-volume-fraction ceramic-reinforced metals: Governing parameters and implications for composite failure

Weibull parameters of angular alumina particles are determined from experimental tensile test data on high-ceramic-content metal matrix composites using a micromechanical model that accounts for internal damage in the form of particle cracking, the dominant damage mode in these composites. The fraction of broken particles is assessed from the drop of Young's modulus and particle fracture is assumed to be stress controlled. Two extreme load-sharing modes, namely a purely local and a global load-sharing mode, are considered to account for the load redistribution due to particle fracture. Consistent powder strength parameters can be thus “back-calculated” for particles that are embedded in different Al-Cu matrices. On the other hand, this calculation fails for pure Al matrix composites, which exhibit a much larger strain to failure than Al-Cu matrix composites. It is shown that for Al matrix composites, the role of plastic (composite) strain on particle fracture constitutes a second parameter governing particle damage. This finding is rationalized by particle-particle interactions in these tightly packed ceramic particle-reinforced composites, and by the increase of matrix stress heterogeneity that is brought with increasing plastic strain. Failure of the alloyed matrix composites is well described by the (lower bound) local load-sharing micromechanical model, which predicts a catastrophic failure due to an avalanche of damage. The same model predicts failure of pure aluminium matrix composites to occur at the onset of tensile instability, also in agreement with experimental results once the role of plastic strain on damage accumulation is accounted for.     

Failure Criteria for Glass-Fiber Reinforced Composites under Confining Pressure*

An experimental study of glass-fiber mat laminates discloses the complexity of mechanical behavior of such composites, including pronounced anisotropy of the discontinuous type, very marked stress sign sensitivity, hydrostatic stress effects, and appearance of different failure modes. The Tsai and Wu criterion, which is widely used in engineering, is no longer adequate to predict properly the actual directional strengths of these materials. A new, more elaborate failure condition is proposed, which accounts for the different observed phenomena, predicts different failure modes, and proves to be reliable when compared with experimental data.     

Finite element modelling of woven composite failure modes at the mesoscopic scale: deterministic versus stochastic approaches

Textile composites are composed of 3D complex architecture. To assess the durability of such engineering structures, the failure mechanisms must be highlighted. Examinations of the degradation have been carried out thanks to tomography. The present work addresses a numerical damage model dedicated to the simulation of the crack initiation and propagation at the scale of the warp yarns. For the 3D woven composites under study, loadings in tension and combined tension and bending were considered. Based on an erosion procedure of broken elements, the failure mechanisms have been modelled on 3D periodic cells by finite element calculations. The breakage of one element was determined using a failure criterion at the mesoscopic scale based on the yarn stress at failure. The results were found to be in good agreement with the experimental data for the two kinds of macroscopic loadings. The deterministic approach assumed a homogeneously distributed stress at failure all over the integration points in the meshes of woven composites. A stochastic approach was applied to a simple representative elementary periodic cell. The distribution of the Weibull stress at failure was assigned to the integration points using a Monte Carlo simulation. It was shown that this stochastic approach allowed more realistic failure simulations avoiding the idealised symmetry due to the deterministic modelling. In particular, the stochastic simulations performed have shown several variations of the stress as well as strain at failure and the failure modes of the yarn.     

Analysis of elastic crack bridging in ceramic matrix composites

A micromechanics analytical model based on the consistent shear lag theory is developed for predicting the failure modes in fiber reinforced unidirectional stiff matrix composites. The model accounts for a relatively large matrix stiffness and hence its load carrying capacity. The fiber and matrix stresses are established as functions of the applied stress, crack geometry, and the microstructural properties of the constituents. From the predicted stresses, the mode of failure is established based on a point stress failure criterion. The role of the microstructural parameters of the constituents on the failure modes such as self-similar continuous cracking, crack bridging and debonding parallel to the fibers is assessed.     

Mechanisms of stress transfer and interface integrity in carbon/epoxy composites under compression loading. Part II: Numerical approach

The finite element method is used to get an insight into the micromechanics of the compressive behaviour of carbon fibre composites. First the developed model is validated with existing experimental data and good agreement between predictions and experiments was found. Then the FE model is used to derive the complete stress field in the fibre and the matrix in the vicinity of a fibre fracture location. It was found that the perturbation of the stress field occurs mainly in the direction transverse to the fibre axis and this could explain the failure modes observed in composites tested in compression. Finally, a parametric study was performed on the effect of matrix modulus and matrix yield stress on the compressive fragmentation process.     

Dynamic response and energy dissipation characteristics of balsa wood: experiment and analysis

Dynamic response of a cellular sandwich core material, balsa wood, is investigated over its entire density spectrum ranging from 55 to 380 kg/m³. Specimens were compression loaded along the grain direction at a nominal strain rate of 3 × 10³ s⁻¹ using a modified Kolsky (split Hopkinson) bar. The dynamic data are discussed and compared to those of quasi-static experiments reported in a previous study (Mech. Mater. 35 (2003) 523). Results show that while the initial failure stress is very sensitive to the rate of loading, plateau (crushing) stress remains unaffected by the strain rate. As in quasi-static loading, buckling and kink band formation were identified to be two major failure modes in dynamic loading as well. However, the degree of dynamic strength enhancement was observed to be different for these two distinct modes. Kinematics of deformation of the observed failure modes and associated micro-inertial effects are modeled to explain this different behavior. Specific energy dissipation capacity of balsa wood was computed and is found to be comparable with those of fiber-reinforced polymer composites.     

Effects of stress ratio on fatigue life of carbon-carbon composites

Cyclic loading causes cumulative damage and therefore degrades the inelastic properties of composite materials. Present work investigates the damage development under tension-tension fatique, and the effect of stress ratio on the fatigue life of carbon-carbon (C/C) composites at room temperature at a frequency of 3 Hz. The fatigue damage has been identified through ultrasonic non-destructive technique, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.From the S-N curve it has been observed that the endurance strength of C/C composite is quite high; approximately 85% of the ultimate tensile strength. The fatigue life of C/C composites has also been observed to increase with the stress ratio. Matrix cracks, filament splitting within the yarns, complete delamination and the nucleation of the interfacial flaws have been identified as the failure mechanisms during the fatigue tests. On the other hand, the failure modes during the static test were found to be complete fiber fracture accompanied by partial delamination. A statistical fatigue life distribution for carbon-carbon composites has also been presented in this paper.     

Buckling of nano-fibre reinforced composites: a re-examination of elastic buckling

Elastic buckling of layered/fibre reinforced composites is investigated. Assuming the existence of both shear and transverse modes of failure, the fibre is analysed as a layer embedded in a matrix. Interacting stresses, acting at the interfaces are determined from an exact derived stress field in the matrix. It is shown that buckling can occur only in the shear buckling mode and that the transverse buckling mode is spurious. As opposed to the well known Rosen shear buckling mode solution (predicated on an infinite buckling wavelength), shear buckling is shown to exist under two régimes: buckling of dilute composites with finite wavelengths and buckling of non-dilute composites with infinite wavelengths. Based on the analysis, a model is constructed which defines the fibre concentration at which the transition between the two régimes occurs. The buckling strains are shown to be (approximately) constant for dilute composites and, in the case of very stiff fibres, to have realistic values compatible with elastic behaviour. For the case of non-dilute composites, the strains are found to be in agreement with those given by the Rosen shear buckling solution. Numerical results for the buckling strains and stresses are presented and compared with the Rosen solution. These reveal that the Rosen solution is valid only for the case of non-dilute composites. The investigation demonstrates that elastic buckling may be a dominant failure mechanism of composites consisting of very stiff fibres fabricated in the framework of nano-technology.     

压缩-剪切复合应力下PMMA材料的静态力学特性研究

通过压缩具有一定倾斜角(0°,10°,15°,20°和25°)试件和双剪切模型试件,实现了单轴压缩、压缩-剪切复合应力以及纯剪切三种应力状态,得到PMMA(聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯)在相应应力状态下的应力-应变曲线,同时对不同应力状态下试件的破坏模式进行了分析。结果表明:在不同受力环境中材料的强度和破坏的机理不同;同单轴压缩状态下相比,材料在压缩-剪切复合应力状态下屈服极限、强度极限以及破坏应变均不同程度的增大,呈现明显的"剪切增强"现象。单轴压缩与压缩-剪切应力状态下试件的破坏模式均为在试件短对角面上出现明显的剪切屈服带,由应力分析得出试件剪应力在短对角面上达到最大,引起在此平面上分子链间滑动从而产生应变软化形成剪切屈服带;双剪切试件的破坏模式为与剪切面呈45°的斜面。     

A failure criterion for fiber reinforced polymer composites under combined compression–torsion loading

A fracture mechanics based failure criterion for unidirectional composites under combined loading has been developed. The predictions from this criterion have been compared with experimental data obtained from combined compression–torsion loading of glass and carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites of 50% fiber volume fraction. The specimens were loaded under rotation control and displacement control in a proportional manner. Comparison of the Budiansky–Fleck kinking model, specialized to a solid circular cylinder, and the new failure model against experimental data suggests that the Budiansky–Fleck model predictions do not capture the variation of compressive strength as a function of shear stress for glass fiber composites. This is because these composites fail predominantly by compressive splitting. The Budiansky–Fleck model predictions are appropriate for composites that fail by compressive kinking. The new model predictions capture the experimental results for glass composites where the compression strength is initially unaffected by shear stress but undergoes a drastic reduction when a critical value of shear stress is reached.     

Nonlinear viscoelastic-degradation model for polymeric based materials

This study presents a phenomenological constitutive model for describing response of solid-like viscoelastic polymers undergoing degradation. The model is expressed in terms of recoverable and irrecoverable time-dependent parts. We use a time-integral function with a nonlinear integrand for the recoverable part and another time-integral function is used for the irrecoverable part, which is associated with the degradation evolution in the materials. Here, the degradation is attributed to the secondary and tertiary creep stages. An ‘internal clock’ concept in viscoelastic materials is used to incorporate the accelerated failure in the materials at high stress levels. We ignore the effect of heat generation due to the dissipation of energy and possible healing in predicting the long-term and failure response of the polymeric materials. Experimental data on polymer composites reported by Drozdov (2011) were used to characterize the material parameters and validate the constitutive model. The model is shown capable of predicting response of the polymer composites under various loading histories: creep, relaxation, ramp loading with a constant rate, and cyclic loadings. We observed that the failure time and number of cycles to failure during cyclic loadings are correlated to the duration of loading and magnitude of the prescribed mechanical loads. A scalar degradation variable is also introduced in order to determine the severity of the degradation in the materials, which is useful to predict the lifetime of the structures subject to various loading histories during the structural design stage.     

A plane stress formulation for elastic-plastic deformation of unidirectional composites

A plane stress analysis of the elastic-plastic deformation of unidirectional composites is presented. A continuum model based on the solid-mixture concept is selected as the basis for the analysis. Model parameters, including process-dependent variables, are deduced from experiments performed on unidirectional composites. A computer program MET1MAT has been developed accordingly and tested for a few simple in-plane loading cases. Experimental data for uniaxial tests performed in longitudinal and transverse directions and for a few biaxial tests are presented to substantiate the analysis. And, finally, application of the results to laminated metal matrix composites is discussed.     

Failure plane orientations for transverse loading of a unidirectional fiber composite

Using a recently developed failure theory for transversely isotropic fiber composites, it is shown how the orientation of the failure surface can be determined for transverse tension and compression. It is also shown that failure surface orientations decompose into those of ductile type versus those of brittle type. Experimental data on failure surface orientations have been obtained for carbon fiber composite systems based on both thermoplastic and thermosetting matrix materials. Average compression failure planes for the different composite materials were measured to range from 31° to 38° from the load axis. Reasonable agreement was obtained between these measured angles and those predicted from application of the new failure theory.     

Failure properties of a PBAN propellant in multiaxial stress fields

Experimental data have been obtained which duplicate the stress and strain field in a solid-propellant rocket-motor grain under pressurization. Development of a hollow ellipsoidal specimen has made possible the acquisition of these data. This test also allows a more thorough evaluation of the failure mechanism in multiaxial stress and strain fields. Failure data were obtained in the tensile-tensile-compressive (++?) stress and biaxial tensile-compressive (+?) strain octants by applying pressure to the internal surface of an ellipsoidal specimen. Data were obtained in the triaxial compressive (???) stress and biaxial tensile-compressive (+?) strain octants by simultaneous application of pressure to both internal and external surfaces of the ellipsoidal specimen and a gradual reduction of external pressure until failure. A stress analysis of the specimen is presented and data-reduction techniques are discussed. Data obtained with a hollow spherical specimen and with the newly developed hollow ellipsoidal specimen are compared. These data are obtained in the same stress and strain octants; however, the relative magnitudes of the parameters and, therefore, the positions within the stress and strain octants are different. This results in a change in the magnitudes of the failure parameter. Data from uniaxial specimens of the same propellant also are presented.     

On the axial propagation of kink bands in fiber composites : Part i experiments

In many fiber composites, longitudinal compressive failure leads to the formation of kink bands. It has been found that these kink bands, once formed, can be made to propagate (broaden) in a steady-state manner at a constant stress level called the propagation stress (σ_P) . This is a characteristic stress of the material which, for the AS4⧹PEEK composite used in the study reported here, is approximately 40% of its compressive strength. This phenomenon is investigated experimentally using a special confining set-up that allows direct observation of the propagation process. For the composite studied, the kink bands have a repeatable inclination (β) of approximately 15°, and the fibers within the bands are rotated to about 30° in the absence of a load. When loaded to σ_P, however, they are found to rotate further to 40°, that is, substantially greater than the 2β reported elsewhere. The mechanism of propagation is found to be a bend-break-rotate sequence undergone by short segments of fibers at the edge of the kink band. It is well known that polymeric matrix composites such as the one used in this study exhibit rate-dependent behavior. Experimental results are presented which show that the kink band propagation stress is also rate dependent.     

钢管混凝土K型相贯节点试验研究与数值模拟

从钢管混凝土格构式风电塔架原型中取出节点模型,对5个K型焊接相贯节点进行了试验研究和理论分析,研究了不同几何参数条件下节点的破坏过程和特征、荷载-变形关系和承载能力等。建立了有限元模型,分析了各研究参数对节点破坏形态和极限承载力的影响规律,得到了节点失效机制的判别参数与准则。试验结果表明:圆钢管混凝土K型相贯节点在丧失承载力前弦杆的宏观变形特征不明显,腹杆失效是主要破坏形态;与空心圆钢管相贯节点相比,刚度大大增加,相贯线周围应力集中程度也降低。有限元分析结果表明:圆钢管混凝土K型相贯节点的控制破坏形态包括腹杆失效和弦杆冲剪破坏,控制破坏类型的关键指标是腹杆与弦杆的壁厚比τ和夹角θ。为避免钢管混凝土格构式风电塔架出现节点失效,须限制参数τ、θ的取值。本文建议τ≤1,θ≤45°。     

Design-stress basis for pressure vessels

The modes of failure of a pressure vessel which are affected by the choice of material and wall thick-ness are given. The factors which should be considered in the choice of an allowable stress low enough to prevent these failure modes are discussed. 1970 Murray Lecture was presented at 1970 SESA Fall Meeting held in Boston, Mass., on October 18–22.     

基于板理论的层级褶皱结构失效模式分析

本文基于弹性板理论和夹层板理论对二级层级褶皱结构失效模式进行了分析。通过对基本构件进行受力分析得到了载荷与结构变形之间的关系。根据6种失效模式的定义,从极限载荷或极限应力角度出发,分析了在压缩载荷和剪切载荷工况下的各种失效模式,给出了结构单胞对应的等效正应力和等效切应力表达式。由最小失效强度得到了各失效模式之间的占优关系,并构建了失效机理图来阐释这一机制。最后通过与有限元分析结果比较,分析了本文公式的精度,与数值解吻合较好。     

纺织复合材料能量吸收性能的研究进展

纺织复合材料的能量吸收性能是近年来一个十分引人注目的研究课题．本文综述了近年来对纺织复合材料能量吸收性能研究的最新进展,包括纤维纺织结构、纺织复合材料的制造及加工、材料的能量吸收机理及失效模式、能量吸收性能的测试方法等．     

An investigation of the losipescu and asymmetrical four-point bend tests

The Iosipescu shear test, utilizing a notched specimen in bending and a modification—the asymmetrical four-point bend (AFPB) test—were evaluated as shear tests for composites. This paper summarizes the results of an extensive numerical and experimental investigation of the Iosipescu and AFPB test methods. Finite-element analyses were conducted to assess the influence of notch parameters and load locations on the stress state in the specimen. The shear moduli and the shear strengths were experimentally measured for a quasiisotropic graphite/epoxy laminate using both the Iosipescu and the AFPB test methods. The tests were conducted for various combinations of notch parameters and load locations. The test results indicate that changes in the notch geometry and load locations aimed at improving the stress distribution in the test section resulted in unexpected changes in the failure mode. Paper was presented at the 1985 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Las Vegas, NV on June 9–14.