Increasing damage tolerance in composites using hierarchical brick-and-mortar microstructures
File(s)
Author(s)
Henry, J
Pimenta, S
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Composites are attractive materials because of their high specific stiffness and specific strength, but their application in industry is restricted by their inherent lack of damage tolerance and stable energy dissipation mechanisms, due to the brittleness of the fibres. Nature overcomes a similar issue by arranging natural composites, made of mostly brittle constituents, in discontinuous and hierarchical microstructures. This work aims at evaluating the potential of hierarchical discontinuous carbon-fibre reinforced polymers to achieve damage tolerance, by a combination of modelling and experiments. Two different models (one analytical and the other numerical) are developed to predict the tensile response of hierarchical brick-and-mortar microstructures with two levels of hierarchies, and to design specimens with a non-linear response. Such specimens are then manufactured using laser micro-milled carbon/epoxy thin-plies, and tested under tension. The results show that the presence of discontinuities and hierarchies promotes stable energy dissipation before failure, ensures damage diffusion throughout the specimen, and delays damage localisation in otherwise brittle composites.
Date Issued
2018-09-01
Date Acceptance
2018-06-02
Citation
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 2018, 118, pp.322-340
ISSN
0022-5096
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
322
End Page
340
Journal / Book Title
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
Volume
118
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Subjects
01 Mathematical Sciences
02 Physical Sciences
09 Engineering
Mechanical Engineering & Transports
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-06-04