Nonlinear creep of unidirectional fibrous composites tensioned along the reinforcement

Creep strains in unidirectional organic-fiber-and organic-glass-fiber-reinforced plastics subject to tension in the reinforcement direction are predicted. Based on homogeneity condition and statistical criteria, it is shown that the creep of the composites is essentially nonlinear. To predict creep strains, use is made of a nonlinear creep model based on a modified Rabotnov’s similarity hypothesis for isochrones and of material constants determined from tests on specimens made of a composite as a whole and specimens made of its separate components, the mixing rule applied in the latter case. The calculated results and the experimental data are in satisfactory agreement __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 20–34, May 2007.