On the effect of fiber creep-compliance in the high-temperature deformation of continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites

Creep models for unidirectional ceramic matrix composites reinforced by long creeping fibers with weak interfaces are presented. These models extend the work of Du and McMeeking (1995) [Du, Z., McMeeking, R. 1995. Creep models for metal matrix composites with long brittle fibers. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 43, 701–726] to include the effect of fiber primary creep present in the required operational temperatures for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). The effects of fiber breaks and the consequential stress relaxation around the breaks are incorporated in the models under the assumption of global load sharing and time-independent stochastics for fiber failure. From the set of problems analyzed, it is found that the high-temperature deformation of CMCs is sensitive to the creep-compliance of the fibers. High fiber creep-compliance drives the composite to creep faster, leading however to greater lifetimes and greater overall strains at rupture. This behavior is attributed to the fact that the greater the creep-compliance of the fibers, the higher the creep rate but the slower the matrix stress relaxation – since the matrix must deform with a rate compatible with the more creep-resistant fibers – and therefore the less the load carried by the main load-bearing phase, the fibers. As a result, fewer fibers fail and less damage is accumulated in the system. Moreover, the greater the creep-compliance of the fibers, the slower the matrix shear stress relaxation – and thus the lower the levels of applied stress for which this effect becomes important. The slower the shear stress relaxes, the slower the “slip” length increases. Due to the Weibull nature of the fibers, the fiber strengths at the smaller gauge length of the slip length are stronger; therefore fewer fibers undergo damage. Hence, high fiber creep-compliance is desirable (in the absence of any explicit creep-damage mechanism) in terms of composite lifetime but not in terms of overall strain. These results are considered of importance for composite design and optimization.     

Some exact plane elasticity solutions for nonhomogeneous,orthotropic sheets

Exact plane stress solutions are presented for composite material sheets made of parallel fibers embedded in matrix materials. The fibers have variable spacing, and the resulting material is macroscopically orthotropic and nonhomogeneous. Formulas for the variable elastic coefficients are presented for arbitrary fiber spacing. Exact solutions for the stress, strain and displacement fields are presented for four types of problems with arbitrary fiber spacing: (1) Uniform normal stress on the edges parallel to the fibers (i.e., the longitudinal edges), zero normal displacement on the transverse edges; (2) zero normal stress on the longitudinal edges, uniform normal displacement on the transverse edges; (3) zero normal displacement in the longitudinal edges, uniform normal displacement on the transverse edges; and (4) zero normal displacement on the longitudinal edges, uniform shear stress on all edges. For the first three problems, the shear stresses on all boundaries are zero. For the last one, the normal stress on the transverse edge is zero.     

Stress concentrations in composites with interface sliding,matrix stiffness and uneven fiber spacing using shear lag theory

The stress concentrations near a single fiber break in a unidirectionally reinforced fiber composite are investigated using a shear lag theory within the framework of finite elements. A model for uniformly spaced, well bonded fibers embedded in a matrix that cannot carry axial loads that was formulated previously is first introduced. The solution of this problem involves Fourier transforms and requires only a two-dimensional numerical integration. The work described in the current paper characterizes the stress concentrations around a single fiber break in the presence of fiber/matrix interface sliding, axial matrix stiffness and uneven fiber spacing. Due to the introduction of these complicating factors, the model no longer lends itself to the simple Fourier transformation solution method. For the case of interface sliding a new method is developed to handle sliding in any shear lag system. For the cases of axial matrix stiffness and uneven fiber spacing a finite element code specifically written for this problem is used to determine the fiber stresses. The results are discussed in the context of global versus local load sharing, and the effects on composite failure.     

基体的真实应力理论

连续介质力学中,各向同性材料的力学理论已基本成熟,即,对任何一个各向同性材料的力学问题,人们几乎总能从现有理论中找到有效解决方案,但对各向异性材料暨复合材料而言,只有线弹性理论才基本成熟,复合材料的塑性变形、破坏和强度等问题,都还缺少成熟分析方法。根本原因是,现有理论只能得到纤维和基体中的均值应力,复合材料的塑性、破坏和强度分析,都必须基于基体的真实应力。本文对作者创建和发展的基体真实应力理论进行了综述介绍,并简要指出了真实应力理论在复合材料破坏和强度分析中所起的作用。     

Load-dependent constitutive response of fiber composites with compliant interphases

I , the influence of applied load on the overall transverse mechanical properties of fiberreinforced composites with compliant interphases is examined from a micromechanical perspective. The composite is modeled by a regular hexagonal array of circular fibers in an infinite matrix. It is assumed that a thin reaction zone (intermolecular bonding at the fiber/matrix interface) establishes the bond between the fiber and matrix phases. The model of the present paper allows us to derive expressions for the overall elastic constants in the transverse plane as a function of applied load. The finite element method is used to evaluate these expressions, and the results are discussed.     

纤维增强韧性基体界面力学行为

分析了纤维增强韧性基体的界面力学行为及其失效机理,按剪滞理论和应变理化规律研究微复合材料的弹塑性变形和应力状态,讨论了幂硬化和线性硬化基体的弹塑性变形和界面应力分布,并给出纤维应力和位移的表达式。按最大剪应力强度理论建立了纤维／基体界面失效准则,推导出弹塑性界面失效的平均剪应力随纤维埋入长度的变化关系。     

A periodic unit-cell simulation of fiber arrangement dependence on the transverse tensile failure in unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced composites

The effect of fiber arrangement on transverse tensile failure in unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced composites with a strong fiber-matrix interface was studied using a unit-cell model that includes a continuum damage mechanics model. The simulated results indicated that tensile strength is lower when neighboring fibers are arrayed parallel to the loading direction than with other fiber arrangements. A shear band occurs between neighboring fibers, and the damage in the matrix propagates around the shear band when the interfacial normal stress (INS) is sufficiently high. Moreover, based on the observation of Hobbiebrunken et al., we reproduced the damage process in actual composites with a nonuniform fiber arrangement. The simulated results clarified that the region where neighboring fibers are arrayed parallel to the loading direction becomes the origin of the transverse failure in the composites. The cracking sites observed in the simulation are consistent with experimental results. Therefore, the matrix damage in the region where the fiber is arrayed parallel to the loading direction is a key factor in understanding transverse failure in unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced composites with a strong fiber/matrix interface.     

Influence of the loading path on the strength of fiber-reinforced composites subjected to transverse compression and shear

The influence of the loading path on the failure locus of a composite lamina subjected to transverse compression and out-of-plane shear is analyzed through computational micromechanics. This is carried out using the finite element simulation of a representative volume element of the microstructure, which takes into account explicitly fiber and matrix spatial distribution within the lamina. In addition, the actual failure mechanisms (plastic deformation of the matrix and interface decohesion) are included in the simulations through the corresponding constitutive models. Two different interface strength values were chosen to explore the limiting cases of composites with strong or weak interfaces. It was found that failure locus was independent of the loading path for the three cases analyzed (pseudo-radial, compression followed by shear and shear followed by compression) in the composites with strong and weak interfaces. This result was attributed to the fact that the dominant failure mechanism in each material was the same in transverse compression and in shear. Failure is also controlled by the same mechanisms under a combination of both stresses and the failure locus depended mainly on the magnitude of the stresses that trigger fracture rather than in the loading path to reach the critical condition.     

Photoelastic analysis of interlaminar matrix stresses in fibrous composite models

Scattered-light methods are presented for analysis of interlaminar matrix stresses between the fiber layers of composite models. These include data-smoothing techniques and a least-squares solution to utilize the excess information available. Applications are given to determine all stress components in the matrix of a two-layer model and to determine the interlaminar shear stress in the matrix of a four-layer model. The results indicate that matrix stress magnitudes are a function of proximity to the fibers and that they are significantly higher than composite stresses obtained using mathematical models. Paper was presented at 1975 SESA Spring Meeting held in Chicago, IL on May 11–16.     

Effects of non-uniform strains on tensile fracture of fiber-reinforced ceramic composites

Effects of non-uniform strains on tensile fracture of fiber-reinforced ceramic–matrix composites have not been satisfactorily explained by existing mechanics-based models. In this paper, we use an exact model of fiber fragmentation under global load sharing conditions to predict fracture in three model problems in which non-uniform strains occur: (i) an end-constrained plate subject to a linear transverse temperature gradient; (ii) an internally-pressurized cylindrical tube with a linear through-thickness temperature gradient; and (iii) a rectangular beam under combined bending and tension. Fracture is assumed to occur when the global load reaches a maximum value. Approximations to the exact fragmentation model are also assessed, with the goal of decoupling the effects of two important parts of the computed stress–strain response: the rate of post-peak strain softening and the magnitude of the plateau “flow” stress once fiber fragmentation is complete. We find that for cases in which the fiber Weibull modulus is low and hence its plateau strength is high relative to its peak and the loading yields a sufficiently high strain gradient, the failure strain lies in the plateau regime. Consequently, the results can be predicted with good accuracy using a perfectly-plastic representation of the post-peak response. In contrast, for cases in which the fiber Weibull modulus is high, the failure strain lies in the softening portion of the curve. Here a linear-softening model is found to yield accurate results. A preliminary assessment of the model has been made by comparing predicted and measured bending/tension strength and failure strain ratios for one specific composite. The correlations appear good, though additional experiments are required in order to critically assess the model predictions over a range of loading scenarios.     

玻璃纤维增强型复合材料圆筒高温高压动态冲击断口形貌分析

为了探究埋头弹火炮所用的玻璃纤维增强型(GFR)复合材料药筒在高温高压瞬态冲击条件下的结构强度,分别开展了圆筒静态整体拉伸和动态高温高压冲击实验,从拉伸/瞬态超高压破坏试样断口部分截取断口样品,在扫描电子显微镜下观察断口形貌,得到GFR复合材料在两种不同受力情况下的失效模式。结果表明：室温整体单轴拉伸断裂时,GFR复合材料的断面与轴线夹角接近45°, 失效模式为环氧树脂基体破坏和纤维拔出;在高压瞬态冲击作用下,试样主要失效模式为纤维的脆性断裂,同时由于火药燃烧产生的高温燃气使部分环氧树脂基体碳化,纤维与基体界面结合力降低,少数纤维熔融或软化附着在断口上,部分软化的纤维因瞬态超高压被拉细。

     

短纤维金属基复合材料应力传递的有限元分析

基于短纤维增强金属基复合材料的单纤维轴对称和三维细观力学模型,利用弹塑性有限元分析方法对该复合材料中基体与纤维间的应力传递进行研究,研究中主要讨论了基体、纤维和界面的力学性能以及纤维位向的变化对应力传递和应力分布的影响。研究表明,复合材料微结构参数的变化将显著影响基体与纤维间的应力传递和复合材料中的应力分布,复合材料设计过程中必须考虑合理的微结构特征。     

The averaged mechanical properties of prismatic lattice formed by ellipsoidal inclusions

Summary The objective of this paper is to evaluate the averaged elastic properties of 3-D grained composites in which identical inclusions form a prismatic network interacting with the matrix material. The inclusions are of ellipsoidal shape with transverse circular sections located at the nodes of a doubly-periodic lattice with an orthogonal elementary cell. When the arrays of inclusions are set at equal spacings in normal directions through the thickness of the matrix, the material formed is an anisotropic composite with tetragonal symmetry at planes transverse to the fiber axis. The longitudinal and transverse elastic and shear moduli as well as the longitudinal Poisson's ratios of such composites are evaluated in this paper. The averaged properties are studied in terms of the aspect ratio and volume fraction of the inclusions as well as the relative rigidity of the constituent phases. Employing the Eshelby's theory for the stress field around a single ellipsoidal inhomogeneity, which is surrounded by the effective anisotropic material, and considering the Mori-Tanaka's concept for the mutual interaction of the neighboring inclusions, we may evaluate the averaged elastic properties of grained composites with aligned ellipsoidal inclusions at finite concentrations. The results provided in a closed-form solution concern the stiffness of 3-D grained composites with parallely dispersed ellipsoidal inclusions forming a prismatic network inside the principal material. It is shown that the stiffness is affected by both the geometry of the inclusions and their concentration. The use of different composite models in the analysis shows that intense variations of stiffness occur mainly in hard composites weakened by soft ellipsoidal inclusions. These findings come in full verification with experimental or theoretical results from the literature. Received 10 February 1998; accepted for publication 27 November 1998     

短纤维复合材料的压缩强度

细观力学理论得到的复合材料内应力是均值应力,在进行破坏和强度预报前,必须转化到真实值.对于短纤维复合材料,除了轴向压缩真实应力外,基体其它方向真实应力计算已得到解决,等于其均值应力乘以基体应力集中系数.论文基于弹性力学方法得到了短纤维复合材料轴向压缩下基体的应力场,并据此定义基体的轴向压缩应力集中系数.与基体其它方向应...     

Inelastic behavior of an AS4/PEEK composite under combined transverse compression and shear. Part I: experiments

The nonlinear behavior in shear and transverse compression of unidirectional AS4/PEEK and their interaction are investigated experimentally. The composite is rate dependent even at room temperature and its rate exponent is similar to that of neat PEEK. The material is tested under pure shear, pure compression and under biaxial loading histories. The biaxial tests are performed in a custom facility on thin strips of the material. The facility allows freedom to choose the loading path in the biaxial stress and strain spaces of interest. Tests are performed for three biaxial loading paths. In the first, the specimen is sheared then compressed while the shear stress is held constant; in the second, the specimen is compressed then sheared while the compressive stress is held constant; and in the third, the specimen is loaded simultaneously by proportional amounts of compression and shear. It was found that the induced deformation is influenced significantly by the loading history followed. Also, initial loading in shear or compression has only a modest effect on subsequent loading of the other type. An unorthodox yielding behavior for the composite results from this lack of interaction. Finally, the stresses at failure are found to trace an elliptical path in the shear–transverse compression plane, but the failure stress state is not significantly affected by the loading path followed.     

Thermal stress analysis of a silicon carbide/aluminum composite

Thermal deformations and stresses were studied in a silicon-carbide/aluminum filamentary composite at temperatures up to 370°C (700°F). Longitudinal and transverse thermal strains were measured with strain gages and a dilatometer. An elastoplastic micromechanical analysis based on a one-dimensional rule-of-mixtures model and an axisymmetric two-material composite cylinder model was performed. It was established that beyond a critical temperature thermal strains become nonlinear with decreasing longitudinal and increasing transverse thermal-expansion coefficients. This behavior was attributed to the plastic stresses in the aluminum matrix above the critical temperature. An elastoplastic analysis of both micromechanical models was performed to determine the stress distributions and thermal deformation in the fiber and matrix of the composite. While only axial stresses can be determined by the rule-of-mixtures model, the complete triaxial state of stress is established by the composite cylinder model. Theoretical predictions for the two thermal-expansion coefficients were in satisfactory agreement with experimental results.     

基于压力隧洞模型的复合材料横向热残余应力分析

考虑碳纤维横向刚度情况下,将复合材料横向热残余应力问题简化为压力隧洞模型.利用该模型推导出复合材料固化成型过程中形成的横向热残余应力,其中分析得出了单纤维与树脂的接触压力以及该压力传递到纤维和树脂后的分布情况.结果表明接触压力传递到纤维内部后成一固定值,传递到树脂后以正比于r.函数衰减.在其基础上提出场叠加方法,得出纤维之间相互耦合的接触压力与残余应力场.通过有限元模拟,理论模型和数值模拟基本一致.     

Prediction of progressive failure in multidirectional composite laminated panels

A mechanism-based progressive failure analyses (PFA) approach is developed for fiber reinforced composite laminates. Each ply of the laminate is modeled as a nonlinear elastic degrading lamina in a state of plane stress according to Schapery theory (ST). In this theory, each lamina degrades as characterized through laboratory scale experiments. In the fiber direction, elastic behavior prevails, however, in the present work, the phenomenon of fiber microbuckling, which is responsible for the sudden degradation of the axial lamina properties under compression, is explicitly accounted for by allowing the fiber rotation at a material point to be a variable in the problem. The latter is motivated by experimental and numerical simulations that show that local fiber rotations in conjunction with a continuously degrading matrix are responsible for the onset of fiber microbuckling leading to kink banding. These features are built into a user defined material subroutine that is implemented through the commercial finite element (FE) software ABAQUS in conjunction with classical lamination theory (CLT) that considers a laminate as a collection of perfectly bonded lamina (Herakovich, C.T., 1998. Mechanics of Fibrous Composites. Wiley, New York). The present model, thus, disbands the notion of a fixed compressive strength, and instead uses the mechanics of the failure process to provide the in situ compression strength of a material point in a lamina, the latter being dictated strongly by the current local stress state, the current state of the lamina transverse material properties and the local fiber rotation. The inputs to the present work are laboratory scale, coupon level test data that provide information on the lamina transverse property degradation (i.e. appropriate, measured, strain–stress relations of the lamina transverse properties), the elastic lamina orthotropic properties, the ultimate tensile strength of the lamina in the fiber direction, the stacking sequence of the laminate and the geometry of the structural panel. The validity of the approach advocated is demonstrated through numerical simulations of the response of two composite structural panels that are loaded to complete failure. A flat, 24-ply unstiffened panel with a cutout subjected to in-plane shear loading, and a double notched 70-ply unstiffened stitched panel subjected to axial compression are selected for study. The predictions of the simulations are compared against experimental data. Good agreement between the present PFA and the experimental data are reported.     

纤维复合材料界面横向拉伸分析

以单纤维十字型横向拉伸试验为研究对象,对纤维/基体界面采用弹性-软化双线性内聚力模型,建立了纤维复合材料在横向拉伸作用下界面法向失效过程的解析模型。得到了沿纤维/基体圆周界面的法向应力分布,纤维/基体界面的状态与界面承载力和单纤维复合材料承载力的关系,以及内聚力参数和试件几何尺寸对它们的影响。结果表明:纤维/基体圆周界面在脱粘前经历全部弹性及弹性+软化两种状态;当界面为弹性状态时,界面法向应力随界面强度线性增加;当界面为弹性+软化状态时,界面软化范围随界面裂纹萌生位移的增加而增大;界面初始脱粘位置与拉伸荷载方向重合;界面初始脱粘时的界面承载力随界面强度及界面裂纹萌生位移的增加而增加,随界面裂纹生成位移的增加而降低;单纤维复合材料的脱粘荷载受基体截面尺寸的影响,当纤维体积含量相同时,沿荷载方向截面尺寸的增大对提高脱粘荷载更显著。     

Multi-scale Mechanical Characterization of Palmetto Wood using Digital Image Correlation to Develop a Template for Biologically-Inspired Polymer Composites

Palmetto wood is garnering growing interest as a template for creating biologically-inspired polymer composites due to its historical use as an energy absorbing material in protective structures. In this study, quasi-static three-point bend tests have been performed to characterize the mechanical behavior of Palmetto wood. Full-field deformation measurements are obtained using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to elucidate on the strain fields associated with the mechanical response. By analyzing strain fields at multiple length scales, it is possible to study the more homogeneous mechanical behavior at the macro-scale associated with the global load-deformation response; while at the microscale the mechanical behavior is more inhomogeneous due to microstructural failure mechanisms. Thus, it was possible to determine that, despite the presence of discontinuous macro-fiber reinforcement, at the macro-scale the response is associated with classical bending and progressive failure processes that are adequately described by Weibull statistics proceeding from the tensile side of the specimen. At the microscale, however, the failure mechanisms giving rise to the macroscopic response consist of both shear-dominated debonding between the fiber and matrix, and inter-fiber matrix failure due to pore collapse. These microscale mechanisms are present in both the compressive and tensile regions of the specimen, most likely due to local macro-fiber bending, which is independent of the global bending state. The pore collapse mechanism observed during mechanical loading appears to improve the energy absorption of the matrix material, thereby, transferring less energy and shear strain to the macro-fiber-matrix interface for initiation of debonding. However, the pore collapse mechanism can also accumulate substantial shear strain, which results in matrix shear cracking. Through these complex failure mechanisms, Palmetto wood exhibits a high resistance to catastrophic failure after damage initiation, an observation that can be used as inspiration for creating new polymer composite materials.