How To Predict Failure In

Composites ?
Accurate prediction of composite failure is a
challenging problem
One of ways to predict failure is to extract
volume average stresses from composites
Use these stresses and apply failure criteria to
constituents directly
Stress Field In A Homogeneous
Material
Stress Field In A Composite
Strain Energy Comparisons
Strain energy of composite may be computed
using volume average quantities.

=
V
c
T
c
V d
2
1
c c
T
c
V =
2
1
Strain Energy Comparisons
f
V
f
T
f f
V d
f

=
2
1
m
V
m
T
m m
V d
m

=
2
1
f f
T
f f
V =
2
1
m m
T
m m
V =
2
1
m f
+
Strain energy of the composite must equal the
sum of strain energies of its constituents
Using volume averaged quantities directly to predict failure in composite
will be inaccurate
Interaction Energy
= (
]
+
]
) +(
m
+
m
)
= (
]
+
m
) +(
]
+
m
)
] m
Where is the Interaction Energy
Strain energy of the constituents
f f f f
T
f f
V V + =
2
1
m m m m
T
m m
V V + =
2
1
f
V
f
T
f f
V d
f

=
2
1
m
V
m
T
m m
V d
m

=
2
1
Fiber
Matrix
Interaction Energy
m m f f m m
T
m f f
T
f m f
V V V V + + + = +
2
1
2
1
+ + = +
m m
T
m f f
T
f m f
V V
2
1
2
1
m m f f
V V + =
So now to get we need and
f

How Do We Determine
And
f

f
V
f
T
f f
V d
f

=
2
1
f
V
ij ij ij ij f
V d
f

+ + = )
~
( )
~
(
2
1

f
f f
=
~
Lets consider the fiber which has stress fluctuations as a result of strain fluctuations
Stress fluctuations
Strain fluctuations
f
f f
=
~
How do we determine
and
f

+ + + =
f f f f
V
f ij ij
V
f ij ij ij
V
f ij ij
V
f ij ij f
V d V d V d V d
~ ~
2
1
~
2
1
~
2
1
2
1

+ =
f
V
f ij ij f ij ij f
V d V
~ ~
2
1
2
1
Which reduces to
Expression for Interaction Energy

+ =
f
V
f ij ij f
f
ij
f
ij f
V d V
~ ~
2
1
2
1

+ =
f
V
m ij ij m
m
ij
m
ij m
V d V
~ ~
2
1
2
1
m m f f m m
T
m f f
T
f m f
V V V V + + + = +
2
1
2
1
Comparing these equation to ones we already have

=
f
V
f ij ij
c
f
V d
V

~ ~
2
1

=
m
V
m ij ij
c
m
V d
V

~ ~
2
1
Using Hookes law to write stress in terms of strain and then expanding over I,j and k we get
Expression for Interaction Energy
m m f f
V V + =

+ + + +
+ + + +
=
2
23 66
2
13 55
2
12 44 33 22 23 33 11 13
22 11 12
2
33 33
2
22 22
2
11 11
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2
~ ~
2
~ ~
2
~ ~ ~
2
1
f
f
f
f f f f f f f f f
f f f f f f
C C C C C
C C C C
f f f
f

+ + + +
+ + + +
=
2
23 66
2
13 55
2
12 44 33 22 23 33 11 13
22 11 12
2
33 33
2
22 22
2
11 11
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2
~ ~
2
~ ~
2
~ ~ ~
2
1
m
f
m
m m m m m m m m m
m m m m m
m
m
C C C C C
C C C C
m m
m


Models
Square fiber packing
Hexagonal fiber packing
Random microstructure
Types Of Analysis
Volume fraction was varied
For each VF the matrix modulus was varied from 1%
of fiber modulus to 120% of fiber modulus
Type of fiber packing Variation of volume fraction
Square 0.05-0.85
Hexagonal 0.05-0.75
Random 0.05-0.75
Material Properties
Combination 1 Fiber Matrix
Material
Glass Epoxy
Type
Isotropic Isotropic
F(6Pa)
80 u.u1E
]bc
to 1.2E
]bc
v
0.22 0.34
Combination 2 Fiber Matrix
Material
Carbon Epoxy
Type
Orthotropic Isotropic
F
11
(6Pa)
235 u.u1E
]bc
to 1.2E
]bc
F
22
(6Pa)
14 u.u1E
]bc
to 1.2E
]bc
6
12
(6Pa)
28 Varied with matrix modulus
v
12
0.2 0.34
v
23
0.25 0.34
Interaction Energy For
Square Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Interaction Energy For
Hexagonal Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Interaction Energy For
Random Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Conclusions From
Volume Fraction Analysis
Interaction energy is always more for glass-
epoxy material combination.
For any combination it is minimum (almost
zero) for loading in the fiber direction.
For any combination it is always maximum for
loading in the xy-direction.
A Closer Look At The Expression For
Interaction Energy
f
is proportional to
f

~
m m f f
V V + =
Does it mean that loading in the fiber direction has negligible stress fluctuations ?
Does it mean that loading in the xy- direction has maximum stress fluctuations ?
which is proportional to

+ + + +
+ + + +
=
2
23 66
2
13 55
2
12 44 33 22 23 33 11 13
22 11 12
2
33 33
2
22 22
2
11 11
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2
~ ~
2
~ ~
2
~ ~ ~
2
1
f
f
f
f f f f f f f f f
f f f f f f
C C C C C
C C C C
f f f
f


Interaction energy was negligible for loading in the fiber
direction and maximum for loading in the xy-direction
f

~
Stress Fluctuations In Square Fiber
Packing In The Fiber Direction
Glass-Epoxy
Carbon-Epoxy
Stress Fluctuations In Hexagonal Fiber
Packing In The Fiber Direction
Glass-Epoxy
Carbon-Epoxy
Stress Fluctuations In Random Fiber
Packing In The Fiber Direction
Glass-Epoxy
Carbon-Epoxy
Stress Fluctuations In Square Fibre
Packing In The xy Direction
Glass-Epoxy
Carbon-Epoxy
Stress Fluctuations In Hexagonal Fiber
Packing In The xy Direction
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Stress Fluctuations In Random Fiber
Packing In The xy Direction
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Thus Interaction Energy does indeed depend on strain fluctuations
and the corresponding stress fluctuations.
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Hexagonal Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy
Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Random Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
At point of inteiest
F
22
J|her
= 8 6Pa
F
22
matr|x
= F
22
J|her
= 86Pa
Interaction Energy is minimum
Glass-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
At point of inteiest
6
12
J|her
= 32. 78 6Pa
E
mutx
= E
]bc
= 8u 0Po
6
12
matr|x
= 29. 851 6Pa
Interaction Energy is minimum
Glass-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
At point of inteiest
6
23
J|her
= 32. 78 6Pa
E
mutx
= E
]bc
= 8u 0Po
6
23
matr|x
= 29. 851 6Pa
Interaction Energy is minimum
Glass-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Hexagonal Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy
Variation of IE with material
properties in Random fiber packing
Glass-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
At point of inteiest
F
22
J|her
= 14 6Pa
F
22
matr|x
= 5% F
11
J|her
= 11. 756Pa
Interaction Energy is minimum
Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
At point of inteiest
6
12
J|her
= 28 6Pa
F
22
matr|x
= 3% F
11
J|her
= 11. 756Pa
6
12
matr|x
= 2. 31 6Pa
Interaction Energy is minimum
Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Square Fiber Packing
At point of inteiest
6
23
J|her
= 5. 6Pa
F
22
matr|x
= 5% F
11
J|her
= 11. 756Pa
6
23
matr|x
= 4. 38 6Pa
Interaction Energy is minimum
Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Hexagonal Fiber Packing
Carbon-Epoxy
Variation Of IE With Material
Properties In Random Fiber Packing
Carbon-Epoxy
Behavior Of Interaction Energy With
Material Properties
The interaction energy decreases as material
properties come closer to each other.
Thats because material starts acting more and
more like a homogeneous material.
Interaction Energy in a particular loading is
minimum when the material properties are
closest to each other in direction of loading.
Major Contributor To
Interaction Energy For Square Fiber
Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Major Contributor To
Interaction Energy For Hexagonal
Fiber Packing
Glass-Epoxy Carbon-Epoxy
Major Contributor To
Interaction Energy For Random Fiber
Packing
Glass-Epoxy
Carbon-Epoxy
Why Was That Important ?
Matrix is a major contributor to Interaction
Energy in all load cases and for all
combination of materials.
Now, we could focus on just augmenting
matrix failure theory and neglect the fiber to
predict failure accurately.
Work In Progress/Future Work
Interaction energy () in a random fiber packing is
more than a hexagonal fiber packing because it has
a broader strain distribution curve.
Run multiple RMCs to confirm results
Contribution of individual fluctuation terms in
m
Behavior of in presence of an interface
Work In Progress/Future Work
Behavior of in for multi-axial loading
Edit the existing RMC script to make it faster
Thank you.
Questions ?