Open Access

ARTICLE

A Novel Approach to Modeling of Interfacial Fiber/Matrix Cyclic Debonding

Paria Naghipour¹, Evan J. Pineda², Steven M. Arnold²

1 Ohio Aerospace Institute, 22800 Cedar Point Road, Brook Park, OH 4414.
2 NASA Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135.

Computers, Materials & Continua 2013, 35(1), 17-33. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmc.2013.035.017

Abstract

The micromechanics theory, generalized method of cells (GMC), was employed to simulate the debonding of fiber/matrix interfaces, within a repeating unit cell subjected to global, cyclic loading, utilizing a cyclic crack growth law. Cycle dependent, interfacial debonding was implemented as a new module to the available GMC formulation. The degradation of interfacial stresses with applied load cycles was achieved via progressive evolution of the interfacial compliance A periodic repeating unit cell, representing the fiber/matrix architecture of a composite, was subjected to combined normal and shear loadings, and degradation of the global transverse stress in successive cycles was monitored. The obtained results were compared to values from a corresponding finite element model. Reasonable agreement was achieved for combined normal and shear loading conditions, with minimal variation for pure loading cases. The higher variation in mixed loading cases was attributed to the uncoupled normal/shear formulation of GMC, and can be further improved by using available high fidelity options.

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