Open Access

ARTICLE

Progression of failure in fiber-reinforced materials

by R. Han¹, M.S. Ingber¹, H.L. Schreyer¹

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131

Computers, Materials & Continua 2006, 4(3), 163-176. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmc.2006.004.163

Abstract

Decohesion is an important failure mode associated with fiber-reinforced composite materials. Analysis of failure progression at the fiber-matrix interfaces in fiber-reinforced composite materials is considered using a softening decohesion model consistent with thermodynamic concepts. In this model, the initiation of failure is given directly by a failure criterion. Damage is interpreted by the development of a discontinuity of displacement. The formulation describing the potential development of damage is governed by a discrete decohesive constitutive equation. Numerical simulations are performed using the direct boundary element method. Incremental decohesion simulations illustrate the progressive evolution of debonding zones and the propagation of cracks along the interfaces. The effect of decohesion on the macroscopic response of composite materials is also investigated.

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