Effect of fiber interacting of effective composite properties in fiber reinforced thermoplastics
Kevin Breuer, TU Dortmund, Dortmund, GermanyMarkus Stommel, TU Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
Efforts to describe the effective macroscopic material properties of composite materials on the basis of the underlying microstructure are an integral part of many research projects. One possibility to calculate the effective composite properties is the consideration of representative volume elements (RVE). In combination with the Finite Element Method (FEM) and a suitable homogenization method, the effective material properties can thus be determined.
This study presents a representative volume element for short glass fibre reinforced plastics. In particular, the influence of fibres on each other is shown and analysed. By means of statistical evaluation of a Monte-Carlo simulation, the stress distribution and local stress concentration within the microstructure is investigated. The statistical distribution of the local stress concentration is investigated with respect to the failure of the composite material. Criteria for failure prediction using the RVE are examined accordingly.