The Effect of the Arrangement of a Reinforcement on the Mechanical Behavior of a Composite VER Composite Material

Abstract

Composites, like any material, can degrade under the action of the loading applied to them by causing mechanical degradation of the composite parts (cracking). The study of existing damage and its behavior is of great importance. In fact, the cracking resulting from the propagation of a defect can lead to the failure of a component that would promote the total ruin of the structure. Fracture mechanics is the right tool to analyze this kind of situation based on the material's fracture characteristics which are the critical stress intensity factor (KC) or the critical energy restitution rate (GC) also called toughness. This degradation of the composite has been studied by many authors. The objective of our work is to analyze by the finite element method the evolution of the parameter KI stress intensity factor of two representative elementary volumes (REV) made of the same epoxy matrix and with different reinforcing fibers (Alfa and Glass) as a function of the displacement of the two fibers (a) and (b). The numerical study showed that the position of the fibers has a significant role on the composite material as well as the alfa/epoxy REV behaves better than the glass/epoxy REV due to the good mechanical characteristics of the alfa/epoxy REV.

Keywords

• Representative elementary volumes (REV)
• Stress intensity factor
• Finite element method and Crack