Abstract
The determination of thermal conductivities of a composite lamina is of paramount importance in the effective design and application of composite materials. The thermal conductivity of a lamina along the fibre direction can be easily estimated from the Rule of Mixtures but, the thermal conductivity in the transverse direction which depends on many factors need to be determined effectively. The transverse thermal conductivities of continuous fibre reinforced composite lamina are computed by numerical method using finite element analysis. Different fibre concentrations, fibre shapes and different fibre-matrix combinations are examined. A Regular array of square pattern of fibres is considered. The finite element model is validated with the available experimental results and theoretical models for a circular fibre and then extended to other shapes of fibres. Two-dimensional finite element model is adopted for the analysis, due to the restriction of heat flow only in transverse direction and the fibres are assumed to be continuous and perfectly bonded to the matrix. Analysis is carried out for a wide range of fibre-matrix combinations and up to the maximum fibre concentration in the composite. The analysis is extended for circular, square, elliptical and rhombus shaped fibres. From the results it is observed that there is a significant variation in the transverse thermal conductivity due to the shape of fibre, concentration ratios and fibre matrix combinations. This variation in thermal conductivity of a composite lamina results into a broader choice for the selection of composite materials in thermal applications.
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RAGHAVA RAO, B., RAMACHANDRA RAJU, V. & MOHANA RAO, K. Effect of fibre shape on transverse thermal conductivity of unidirectional composites. Sadhana 40, 503–513 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-014-0323-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-014-0323-9