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Tough–brittle transition in unidirectional composites with fibre breakage and fibre–matrix interfacial failure

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Abstract

Fracture of three-dimensional unidirectional composites is studied through Monte Carlo fracture simulations on model composites. Fracture develops in the model composites by the failure of fibre segments wherein the tensile stress exceeds a Weibull-distributed random strength, and by the failure of the fibre–matrix interfaces wherein the shear stress exceeds a deterministic interfacial strength, \(T_0\). The size of the weakest-link failure event is inferred from empirical strength distributions obtained from the simulations. It is found to diverge or converge with composite size for \(T_0\) below or above a threshold value, respectively. The threshold is identified as the tough–brittle fracture mode transition. The mechanistic cause underlying the transition is also identified.

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  1. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India

    Sivasambu Mahesh

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Mahesh, S. Tough–brittle transition in unidirectional composites with fibre breakage and fibre–matrix interfacial failure. Int J Fract 233, 39–70 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-021-00609-9

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