Matrix solidification and the resulting residual thermal stresses in composites

The disparate thermal expansion properties of the fibres and matrices in high-performance composites lead to an inevitable build up of residual thermal stresses during fabrication. We first discuss the thermal expansion behaviour of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers that may be used as high-performance composite matrices. The three classes of polymers considered are epoxies, amorphous thermoplastics, and semicrystalline thermoplastics. The relevant thermal expansion data for prediction of the magnitude of the residual stresses in composites is the zero (atmospheric)-pressure thermal expansion data; these data are plotted for a range of thermoplastics and a typical epoxy. Using the technique of photoelasticity, we have measured the magnitude of the residual stresses in unidirectional graphite composites with an amorphous thermoplastic matrix (polysulfone) and with an epoxy matrix (BP907). The temperature dependence of the residual stress build up and the resulting magnitude of the residual stresses correlate well with the thermal and physical properties of the matrix resin.     

Evaluation of the ultimate stresses in a cycle for welded structures with high residual stresses based on test results for small specimens without residual stresses

We propose an equation for the evaluation of the fatigue limits of welded joints of low-carbon and low-alloy steels with high residual stresses based on the results of testing of small specimens without residual stresses. The independence of the amplitude of stresses on the mean stress in a cycle is proved for welded joints with high residual stresses. __________ Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 2, pp. 66–81, March–April, 2008.     

A coupled thermo-chemo-mechanical reduced-order multiscale model for predicting process-induced distortions,residual stresses,and strength

We study residual stresses and part distortion induced by a manufacturing process of a polymer matrix composite and its effect on the component strength. Unlike most of the thermo-chemo-mechanical models in the literature where governing multiphysics equations are directly formulated on the macroscale, we present a multiscale-multiphysics approach. To address the enormous computational complexity involved, a reduced-order homogenization was originally developed for a single physics problem is employed. The proposed reduced-order two-scale thermo-chemo-mechanical model has been validated for predicting part distortion beam strength in three-point bending test. It is shown that while macroscopic stresses are relatively low, and therefore often ignored in practice, stresses at the scale of microconstituents are significant and may have an effect on the overall composite component strength.     

The formation of residual stresses in laminated thermoplastic composites

The means by which residual stresses are generated in continuous carbon-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites are reviewed, with specific attention to the macroscopic stresses which form on a ply-to-ply level. Different means for their estimation are assessed, and approximate stress levels are defined for a variety of materials. The capacity for stress relaxation to occur during processing is examined, and it is shown that little useful stress-relieving ability can be promoted in such systems.     

复合材料固化相关黏弹性性能演化及残余应力分析

通过对复合材料固化度和温度相关黏弹性本构方程的分析,定义一个能综合反映固化度和温度等对复合材料黏弹性性能影响的无量纲参数De_m。当参数De_m都大于10~2时,复合材料基体处于流动状态;当参数De_m都小于10~(-2)时,复合材料为弹性状态;仅当部分参数De_m小于10~2而大于10~(-2)时,复合材料处于黏弹性状态。以AS4纤维/3501-6树脂复合材料为例,基于对其参数De_m在典型固化工艺过程中的演化,研究该复合材料黏弹性性能的发展过程,发现基于参数De_m分析得到的凝胶点时间与实验结果一致。根据复合材料黏弹性性能对残余应力发展的影响,将复合材料残余应力计算分为流动阶段和黏弹性阶段,并建立了相应的状态相关黏弹性本构模型。最后通过与原始模型预测结果的比较验证了提出的本构模型,表明本文提出的计算方法与原始黏弹性本构模型计算结果一致,但大大降低了计算所需的时间和存储空间。     

Thermal residual stresses in particulate composites and its toughening effect

In this paper, an accurate formula for calculating the thermal residual stress field in a particle-reinforced composite are presented. Numerical examples are given to show r-variations of the thermal residual stresses. The increase in fracture toughness of matrix predicted by the thermal residual stress field is compared well with the experimentally measured increase. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50172053).     

热固性树脂基复合材料固化变形和残余应力数值模拟研究综述

固化变形和残余应力给复合材料的应用带来威胁,准确的预测固化变形和残余应力可以为复合材料的结构和工艺设计提供调整依据,减小固化变形和残余应力。数值模拟方法因其简单、预测精度高而被广泛采用。本文主要介绍了复合材料固化变形和残余应力数值模拟流程中包含的热传导-固化模块、流动压实模块和应力变形模块。重点详述了应力变形模块中本构方程和模型-构件之间相互作用力研究的最新发展,为固化变形和残余应力预测提供方向和参考。简要讨论当前复合材料固化变形和残余应力预测的主要发展方向。     

Aspects of residual thermal stresses in continuous-fibre-reinforced ceramic matrix composites

An analytical model is presented that predicts the thermal stresses which arise from mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion between a fibre and the surrounding matrix in a continuous fibre composite. The model consists of two coaxial isotropic cylinders. Stress transfer between the fibre and the matrix near an unstressed free surface has been modelled by means of a shear-lag analysis. Away from the free surface the theoretical approach satisfies exactly the conditions for equilibrium and continuity of stress at the fibre-matrix interface. Application of the model to a composite consisting of a glass-ceramic calcium alumino-silicate (CAS) matrix containing unidirectional Nicalon fibres points to a strong dependence of stress on fibre volume fraction. Surface effects are significant for depths of the order of one fibre diameter. Near-surface shear stresses resulting from cooling from the stress-free temperature are sufficiently high to suggest that a portion of fibre close to the surface is debonded at room temperature. Experimental results acquired with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with a heating stage are consistent with this prediction. Consequently, the model has been modified in a simple way to incorporate frictional slip at the interface, according to the Coulomb friction law. Although detailed measurements are limited by the resolution of the technique, experimental evidence suggests that the transfer length is within an order of magnitude of the model prediction.     

Thermal loading of short fibre composites and the induction of residual shear stresses

A study has been undertaken to identify the effect of thermal residual stresses on the stress transfer between a short fibre and resin using the photoelastic method. As expected, it was observed that fibre fracture occurred at a higher applied load for the fibre embedded in the thermally (80 °C) cured epoxy matrix than in the room-temperature-cured epoxy. Under plane polarised light bright birefringent patterns were observed in the hot-cured epoxy matrix around the fibre-ends prior to loading. These were not present in the room-temperature-cured epoxy, indicating that thermal residual stresses had been induced during thermal-curing. On loading, the birefringent patterns in the hot-cured matrix at the fibre-ends were almost extinguished but at a particular stress reappeared as a bright region, and increased in intensity on further loading.Using a phase-stepping polariscope, four images of the fibre-ends were captured simultaneously so that detailed contour maps of fringe order could be created. To examine the micromechanical response in the matrices at the interfaces the profile of interfacial shear stress at the fibre-ends was calculated. Under a given external load the shear stress at the interface in the hot-cured matrix was significantly lower than that in the cold-cured epoxy matrix. The thermal load which is applied to a resin on cooling from manufacture requires a shear stress at the interface to put the fibre into compression. At the fibre-ends a residual shear stress of opposite sign (to that induced mechanically) leads to extension of birefringent patterns on loading.     

More on the effects of thermal residual and hydrostatic stresses on yielding behavior of unidirectional composites

The influence of manufacturing process thermal residual stresses and hydrostatic stresses on yielding behavior of unidirectional fiber reinforced composites has been investigated when subsequently subjected to various mechanical loadings. Three-dimensional finite element micro-mechanical models have been used. The results of this study reveal that the size of the initial yield surface is highly affected by the thermal residual and hydrostatic stresses. It was also found that effects of a uniform temperature change on the initial yield surface in the composite stress space is not equivalent to a solid translation of the surface in the direction of the hydrostatic stress axis. At the micro-level, magnitudes of various stress components within the matrix due to the thermal residual and hydrostatic stresses are different. However, at a macro-level, both temperature change and hydrostatic loading of composites show similar effects on the initial yield surface in the composite stress space. In an agreement with experimental data, results also show that residual stresses are responsible for asymmetric behavior of composites in uniaxial tension/compression in the fiber direction. This asymmetric behavior suggests that the existing quadratic yield criteria need modification to include thermal residual stress effects.     

Interaction between cyclic loading and residual stresses in titanium matrix composites

Metal matrix composites are gaining popularity for applications where high performance materials are needed. Titanium matrix composites (TMCs) continuously reinforced by silicon carbide fibres are under development for applications in aeroengines. Their use in blades, rings and shafts promises a significant weight reduction and performance improvement due to their high specific strength and stiffness. To obtain the whole capabilities of the material not only advanced processing techniques but also post-processing treatments are necessary. A detailed analysis of the residual stress development during cyclic loading leads to the necessity of residual stress modifications to optimise the fatigue behaviour of TMCs. Since the aerospace industry requires high reliability of the materials used, models for predicting failure and life time are of special interest. Predictive models based on the properties of the single constituents of the composite are most suitable to reduce the number of experiments and to develop methodologies to improve specific mechanical properties. Nevertheless, both experiments on the single constituents as well as on the composite are necessary to validate the model. A previously developed rheological model is used to assess different post-processing procedures to improve the fatigue behaviour of a titanium matrix composite. The usage of the model and experiments on the system SCS-6/Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo are presented.     

Material characterization and residual stresses simulation during the manufacturing process of epoxy matrix composites

A thermal, rheological and mechanical material characterization of an aeronautic epoxy resin from commercial prepreg is reported in this article. The kinetic of the crosslinking reaction of the resin is characterized and modeled. The specific heat, the glass transition temperature, the thermal expansion coefficients, the chemical shrinkage coefficients and the thermo-mechanical properties have been investigated as a function of temperature and degree of cure. Dynamic mechanical measurements are used to determine the gel point. Finally, the residual stresses developed during the curing process are calculated using a finite element simulation, taking into account the material properties evolutions according to proposed models. The results highlight the importance of the characterization accuracy and the associated models.     

Effects of welding speed on the multiscale residual stresses in frictionstir welded metal matrix composites

The effects of welding speed on the macroscopic and microscopic residual stresses(RSes) in friction stir welded 17 vol.% SiCp/2009 Al-T4 composite plates were studied via neutron diffraction and an improved decoupled hierarchical multiscale modeling methods. Measurements showed that the macroscopic and total RSes had the largest variations in the longitudinal direction(LD). Increasing the welding speed led to higher values of measured LD macroscopic and total RSes in the matrix. The welding speed also significantly influenced the distributions and magnitudes of the microscopic RSes. The RSes were predicted via an improved hierarchical multiscale model, which includes a constant coefficient of friction based thermal model. The RSes in the composite plates before friction stir welding(FSW) were computed and then set as the initial states of the FSW process during modeling. This improved decoupled multiscale model provided improved predictions of the temperature and RSes compared with our previous model.     

Evaluation of residual stresses in carbon/carbon composites components joined to copper before and after pulse electromagnetic treatment

Results of experimental and calculated evaluation of residual stresses in carbon/carbon composites components produced by joining of carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites to copper are presented. Pulse electromagnetic field treatment of the joint was found to decrease its residual stresses.     

Evaluation of residual stresses formed in surface plastic deformation

Translated from Fiziko-Khimicheskaya Mekhanika Materialov, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 92–95, May–June, 1989.     

Rapidly cured epoxy/anhydride composites: Effect of residual stress on laminate shear strength

The drive towards rapid cure thermosetting composites requires a better understanding of the residual stresses that develop during curing. This study investigates the impact of residual stresses on the interlaminar shear strength of resin-infused epoxy/anhydride carbon-fibre laminates. The magnitude of the residual stress was varied by changing the initial injection cure temperature between 75 °C and 145 °C. The corresponding cycle times and the final glass transition temperature of the resin were also measured. The experimentally measured chemical shrinkage and thermal expansion properties of the resin after vitrification were used as inputs to a finite element analysis to calculate the peak residual stresses in the composite. An increase in the initial cure temperature from 85 to 135 °C resulted in an increase of 25% in the residual stress, which led to an experimentally measured reduction in the composite’s short beam shear strength of approximately 16% (8 MPa), in good agreement with model prediction.