Analysis of Size Effects in Compressive Failure of Fabric Composites

Abstract

Woven fiber reinforced composites under compression predominantly fail by the formation andpropagation of a fiber kink band. While the underlying physical micro-mechanisms have beenwidely analyzed, the ensuing scaling in the strength has not. This study postulates that since a kinkband is a mode II/III cohesive crack, it must lead to a global energy release during propagationand consequently a scaling in the compressive strength. It also must cause a stress redistributionupon initiation from a smooth surface, leading to a different kind of scaling in the strength. Theseeffects have been so far poorly understood, and will be characterized here for the first time forwoven composites. This will be done via compression failure tests on geometrically similarspecimens. Specimens with and without pre-cracks will be considered and scaling under uniaxialas well as biaxial compressive loads will be analyzed. The effect of frictional energy dissipationon the scaling will be examined too.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Aug 31, 2020
Source ID
N000142012594

Entities

People

  • Kedar Kirane

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • Research Foundation for the State University of New York
  • United States Navy

Tags

Readers

  • Electrochemical Surface Science
  • Reinforced Composite Materials
  • Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures.