Mechanics of Three-Dimensional Textile Structural Composites: Performance Modeling

Abstract

This paper presents a model for the prediction of anisotropic elastic stiffness of 3-D textile structural composites based on the preform architecture and the preforming process parameters. The methodology employed in this paper uses preform modeling to represent the fiber microstructure and uses micro-mechanical analysis to determine the macroscopic anisotropic stiffness. Representative volume elements (macro-cells) are identified for three-dimensionally woven preforms and geometric descriptions of the path and interactions between the tows within the cells are generated. This geometric modeling enables the estimation of the fiber volume fraction and the directional distribution of the fiber in the composite. The macro-cell is further decomposed into simpler elements whose stiffness is determined from tow geometry and the stiffness of the fiber/matrix constituents. The macroscopic stiffness of the textile composite is obtained from the macro-cell definition using an Effective Response Comparison (ERC) technique. Numerical results are compared with data from experimental characterization of several woven composites.