Micro-Mechanical Analysis About Kink Band in Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites Under Longitudinal Compression

Kink band is a typical phenomenon for composites under longitudinal compression. In this paper, theoretical analysis and finite element simulation were conducted to analyze kink angle as well as compressive strength of composites. Kink angle was considered to be an important character throughout longitudinal compression process. Three factors including plastic matrix, initial fiber misalignment and rotation due to loading were considered for theoretical analysis. Besides, the relationship between kink angle and fiber volume fraction was improved and optimized by theoretical derivation. In addition, finite element models considering fiber stochastic strength and Drucker-Prager constitutive model for matrix were conducted in ABAQUS to analyze kink band formation process, which corresponded with the experimental results. Through simulation, the loading and failure procedure can be evidently divided into three stages: elastic stage, softening stage, and fiber break stage. It also shows that kink band is a result of fiber misalignment and plastic matrix. Different values of initial fiber misalignment angle, wavelength and fiber volume fraction were considered to explore the effects on compressive strength and kink angle. Results show that compressive strength increases with the decreasing of initial fiber misalignment angle, the decreasing of initial fiber misalignment wavelength and the increasing of fiber volume fraction, while kink angle decreases in these situations. Orthogonal array in statistics was also built to distinguish the effect degree of these factors. It indicates that initial fiber misalignment angle has the largest impact on compressive strength and kink angle.     

Failure mechanisms in thick composites under compressive loading

Failure mechanisms were studied in a unidirectional carbon/epoxy composite under uniform and linearly varying longitudinal compression. The first failure mechanism is shear yielding or shear failure in the matrix precipitated by initial fiber misalignment. It was shown how an initial fiber misalignment of 1.5° can produce the measured compressive strength of 1725 MPa (250 ksi). Matrix failure is followed by fiber buckling and fracture, resulting in the formation of a kink band. The kink band orientation is constant in the range of β = 20–30°, whereas the kink angle a varies from a small initial value to a maximum value of 2β. Kink band widths varied between 4 and 20 fiber diameters. Kink bands can occur on different planes which can rotate along the band. Kink band multiplication or broadening with increasing stress was observed at points where the maximum kink angle was reached.     

复合材料压缩破坏模式的缺陷敏感性

本文基于弹塑性分叉理论研究单向纤维增强复合材料的压缩破坏模式和压缩强度对缺陷的敏感性问题。对于常见复合材料,所得结论是:无缺陷或者小缺陷情况的破坏模式为倾斜破坏带;大缺陷情况的破坏模式为水平破坏带;形成水平破坏带的压力值小于形成倾斜破坏带的压力。     

Compressive failure of fibre-reinforced composites: buckling,kinking, and the role of the interphase

Recent experimental studies of compressive failure in fibre-reinforced polymeric composites have been analysed. It is shown that the parametric basis for most compressive strength models, i.e. pure plastic buckling controlled by matrix shear strength and initial fibre misorientation, is probably incomplete. It is argued that, instead, failure is triggered by the initiation of an unstable kink band prior to buckling instability, and that additional parameters (interfacial shear stress/strain; fibre strength) are responsible for this transition in mechanisms.     

Compressive response and failure of fiber reinforced unidirectional composites

The compressive response of polymer matrix fiber reinforced unidirectional composites (PMC's) is investigated via a combination of experiment and analysis. The study accounts for the nonlinear constitutive response of the polymer matrix material and examines the effect of fiber geometric imperfections, fiber mechanical properties and fiber volume fraction on the measured compressive strength and compressive failure mechanism.Glass and carbon fiber reinforced unidirectional composite specimens are manufactured in-house with fiber volume fractions ranging over 1060 percent. Compression test results with these specimens show that carbon fiber composites have lower compressive strengths than glass fiber composites. Glass fiber composites demonstrate a splitting failure mode for a range of low fiber volume fractions and a simultaneous splitting/kink banding failure mode for high fiber volume fractions. Carbon fiber composites show kink banding throughout the range of fiber volume fractions examined. Nonlinear material properties of the matrix, orthotropic material properties of the carbon fiber, initial geometric fiber imperfections and nonuniform fiber volume fraction are all included in an appropriate finite element analysis to explain some of the observed experimental results. A new analytical model predictionof the splitting failure mode shows that this failure mode is favorable for glass fiber composites, which is in agreement with test results. Furthermore, this modelis able to show the influence of fiber mechanical properties, fiber volume fraction and fiber geometry on the splitting failure mode.     

Is there a thickness effect on compressive strength of unnotched composite laminates?

The effect of laminate thickness was investigated on the compressive behavior of unidirectional and crossply composites. A recently developed compression test method for thick composites was used to test specimens from 16 to 200-plies thick. In all cases the stress-strain behavior to failure is nonlinear and failure strength is matrix dominated. Longitudinal compressive failure is triggered by matrix failure accompanied by fiber microbuckling and the compressive strength is greatly degraded by initial fiber misalignment. The longitudinal compressive strength shows a mild trend of decreasing values with increasing thickness. It can be explained that, even if such a trend is significant, increasing size would have a diminishing effect on compressive strength for initial fiber misalignments greater than 1.5 to 2°. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An Improved Model for Fiber Kinking Analysis of Unidirectional Laminated Composites

This paper focuses on the fiber-kinking failure mode of unidirectional laminated composites under the compressive loading. An available stress based fiber-kinking model is explained and improved on the bases of strain concept. In the improved model, a new fracture surface is considered and the stresses are updated according to this new fracture surface. By taking the advantage of damage variables, the models are implemented into a finite element code and the results of numerical analysis such as prediction of kink band angles are discussed in details and compared with the available results in the literature. It is shown that the predicted kink band angles using the improved model are in good agreement with the experimental results.     

考虑纤维初始位错的复合材料轴向压缩性能

通过试验及模拟对复合材料的轴向压缩失效过程进行了研究。试验中,采用高速摄像机对失效过程进行捕捉,并对最终破坏模式进行光学显微镜分析。基于纤维初始位错、纤维随机强度及基体Ducker-Prager塑性本构,通过有限元软件ABAQUS建立了复合材料轴向压缩的有限元模型,并对比分析剪切型及拉伸型两种不同初始位错模型的模拟结果。研究结果表明,复合材料轴向压缩包含弹性变形及塑性变形阶段,离散的纤维基体二维有限元模型能够有效模拟压缩的渐进损伤过程,且模拟结果与试验结果相吻合。复合材料轴向压缩强度是纤维初始位错及塑性基体剪切屈服共同作用的结果,其随着纤维初始位错幅值的减小、波长的增加及纤维体积分数的增加而增加。     

Investigation on the compressive properties of the three dimensional four-directional braided composites

The compressive mechanical properties of three dimensional (3D) braided composites are of key concern for design in actual engineering application. A representative volume cell (RVC) is chosen to study the uniaxial compressive mechanical properties of the braided composites with different braid angles by combing damage theory and finite element method. The fiber misalignment and longitudinal shear nonlinearity of braid yarn are considered in the computation model. And their influences on the compressive behavior of the braided composites are also evaluated. The damage development of constituents within the braided composites are obtained and analyzed. The main damage and failure modes and their interaction of braid yarn are provided as well. The numerical results are found that the compressive mechanical behavior of the braided composites with lower braid angle is sensitive to the fiber initial imperfection of braid yarn. The strength of the braided composites with different braid angle is controlled by the different microscopic failure modes.     

The mechanics of compressive kinking in unidirectional fiber reinforced ductile matrix composites

Three distinct stages of kink band formation and propagation exist in ductile matrix composites subjected to compressive loading. These stages are called incipient kinking, transient kinking and kink band broadening. Each stage involves a different deformation mode. The mechanics governing each stage are discussed. Incipient kinking, where the peak load is attained, and kink band broadening, where the load attains a steady-state, are important in structural design. Two design philosophies are presented. References to pertinent literature are made throughout.     

A Graphical Method Predicting the Compressive Strength of Toughened Unidirectional Composite Laminates

The in-plane shear and compressive properties of unidirectional (UD) HTS40/977-2 carbon fibre-toughened resin (CF/TR) laminates are investigated. Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy are used to reveal the failure mechanisms developed during compression. It is found that damage initiates by fibre microbuckling (a fibre instability failure mode) which then is followed by yielding of the matrix to form a fibre kink band zone that leads to final fracture. Analytical models are briefly reviewed and a graphical method, based on the shear response of the composite system, is described in order to estimate the UD compressive strength. Predictions for the HTS40/977-2 system are compared to experimental measurements and to data of five other unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites that are currently used in aerospace and other structural applications. It is shown that the estimated values are in a good agreement with the measured results.     

The effect of fibre misalignment on the compressive strength of unidirectional carbon fibre/epoxy

The effect of a misalignment angle between the fibres and loading axis of a unidirectional composite is analysed by considering the shear strains induced by the misalignment. It is shown that shear instability in the matrix drastically reduces the predicted compressive strength even for very small misalignments. The same trend is predicted for composites with initial fibre curvatures due to the misalignment angle associated with the curvature. The reduction in compressive strength often attributed to initial fibre curvature may therefore actually be due to fibre misalignment angles. Small misalignments are hard to avoid during the manufacture and testing of unidirectional composites and so these results cast serious doubts on the possibility of measuring a true ultimate compressive strength for this kind of material.     

Fracture mechanisms and failure analysis of carbon fibre/toughened epoxy composites subjected to compressive loading

This study investigates the failure mechanisms of unidirectional (UD) HTS40/977-2 toughened resin composites subjected to longitudinal compressive loading. A possible sequence of failure initiation and propagation was proposed based on SEM and optical microscopy observations of failed specimens. The micrographs revealed that the misaligned fibres failed in two points upon reaching maximum micro-bending deformation and two planes of fracture were created to form a kink band. Therefore, fibre microbuckling and fibre kinking models were implemented to predict the compressive strength of UD HTS40/977-2 composite laminate. The analysis identified several parameters that were responsible for the microbuckling and kinking failure mechanisms. The effects of these parameters on the compressive strength of the UD HTS40/977-2 composite systems were discussed. The predicted compressive strength using a newly developed combined modes model showed a very good agreement to the measured value.     

Dynamic compressive behavior of unidirectional E-glass/vinylester composites

Results from an experimental investigation on the mechanical behavior of unidirectional fiber reinforced polymer composites (E-glass/vinylester) with 30%, 50% fiber volume fraction under dynamic uniaxial compression are presented. Specimens are loaded in the fiber direction using a servo-hydraulic material testing system for low strain rates and a Kolsky (split Hopkinson) pressure bar for high strain rates, up to 3000/s. The results indicate that the compressive strength of the composite increases with increasing strain rate. Post-test scanning electron microscopy is used to identify the failure modes. In uniaxial compression the specimens are split axially (followed by fiber kink band formation). Based on the experimental results and observations, an energy-based analytic model for studying axial splitting phenomenon in unidirectional fiber reinforced composites is extended to predict the compressive strength of these composites under dynamic uniaxial loading condition.     

The effect of transverse shear on the longitudinal compressive strength of fibre composites

Experimental work on glass/epoxy composites shows that the compressive strength is sensitive to the method of gripping, that the failure mode in compression varies with fibre volume fraction, and that bending of the specimen may occur as a result of misalignment. Some aspects of these observations are examined. The critical Euler buckling load is significantly reduced if transverse shear occurs. The buckling load depends on specimen dimensions and a good deal of scatter results from this. The predicted compressive strength taking into account the effect of transverse shear and specimen geometry includes the experimental results within a wide scatter band. The present analysis based upon the macro-buckling of the specimen, reproduces some predictions of compressive strength based upon the micro-buckling of fibres.     

Two analogous methods for estimating the compressive strength of fibrous composites

In this paper, an analogy is made between the solution of micro-buckling of fibrous composites using a three-dimensional model and that of biaxial bending of reinforced concrete short columns. Two approaches are used; the first one uses a reciprocal formula and the second one uses a bilinear approximation to the non-dimensional stresses interaction equation, to estimate the compressive stress in a fibrous composite. The initial misalignment angles of composite fibers, which are the main parameters in the determination of the compressive strength of fibrous composites, are analogous to load eccentricities in concrete columns. The initial misalignment angles in both directions perpendicular to the axis of the fibers are defined by sinusoidal curves. The compressive strength of different fibrous composites, which also depends on the nonlinear shear stress–strain relationship of the matrix material, is estimated using the present approaches. The results obtained in this study agree well with experimental and analytical results available in the literature.     

Compressive failure of UD-CFRP containing void defects: In situ SEM microanalysis

Here we present an in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of the compressive failure of unidirectional (UD) carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites with varying pre-existing void content. The experiments were carried out within a dual beam microscope, which couples a SEM with a focused ion beam (FIB), allowing sub-surface investigations of damage. In these tests, the specimen is monitored during the entire loading history, allowing the correlation of microstructural changes and the evolving load-displacement behaviour. Therefore, loading characteristics can be linked directly to failure events. Observations of the sequence of events leading to failure showed direct fibre deflection into a kinked shape eventually followed by fibre fracture. Failure of void-containing CFRP was shown to depend on the void shape as well as the proximity of the void to the kink band. In some cases voids stopped the propagation of kink bands, while in other cases the void caused the kink to deflect in a new direction. The failure structure was observed to change with time, both during hold-load segments as well as after unloading. Through cross-sectional ion beam milling in the unloaded state, the sub-surface damage was observed and shown to be similar to that observed at the surface.     

Compression of a 0°-ply/acrylic sandwich

The compressive behaviour of a 0°-ply (AS4/PPS) inserted between two acrylic layers is studied experimentally, and results are compared with existing theoretical predictions. A transparent acrylic is chosen so that kink formation in the 0°-ply may be directly observed. Experiments show that failure occurs by catastrophic formation of an in-plane kink band with a kink band angle of 20° to the horizontal axis. Then, as the compression strain is further increased, several additional kink bands appear. The load corresponding to the formation of the first kink is in agreement with theoretical predictions. These experiments confirm that failure initiates by in-plane kinking, and shed light upon the behaviour of an internal 0°-ply inside a multidirectional laminate, especially the propensity for in-plane kinking versus out-of-plane kinking.     

Compressive splitting response of glass-fiber reinforced unidirectional composites

An analytical and experimental study of the compressive behavior of unidirectional glass/epoxy composites loaded in the fiber direction has been carried out for a range of fiber volume fractions. It was observed experimentally that glass/epoxy composites failed predominantly by splitting at lower fiber volume fractions (V_f) and by a combination of splitting and kinking at higher V_f. In contrast, carbon/epoxy composites were found to fail by kinking only. A mechanical model developed by Lee and Waas is used to predict the compressive strength of the composites. The predicted compressive strengths were then compared with existing experimental data in the literature. The effectiveness of the model in including the effect of initial misalignment of fibers on the predicted compressive strengths has also been studied.     

Compressive behaviour of large undamaged and damaged thick laminated panels

Both intact and impact-damaged laminated panels under in-plane compressive loading are investigated with a purpose-built anti-buckling support. The readings of back-to-back strain gauges of selected locations are used to deduce panel behaviour in addition to post-mortem observation. The compression failure of intact panels is found to be close to the potted end. The failure characteristics of impact-damaged panels are dependent slightly on composite systems although they all failed in compression in the impact-damaged region with a kink shear band passing through the mid-section. E-glass/polyester panels with a greater shear angle do not seem to involve global buckling like S-glass/phenolic panels with small shear angles. The fact that the region covered by a kink shear band from impact surface to the distal surface is considerably less than the delamination area suggests that the initiation of overall failure is due to the collective result of flexural stiffness reduction compounded by the local impact damage and the associated change of fibre curvature. As a result, the residual compressive strengths are reduced significantly. Further outward propagation of the existing delamination(s) along the mid-section during loading is visible only for E-glass/polyester panels but is not significant.