Abstract
This chapter addresses the mechanical properties of a fibre-reinforced composite (FRC). The focus is on calculation of the elastic modulus and strength for unidirectional FRCs using the rule of mixtures expressions, but woven and random fibres are also considered. A unidirectional FRC exhibits anisotropic behaviour. It is stiffest and strongest in the fibre direction but is relatively compliant and weak in the transverse orientation. Woven structures provide similar mechanical properties in their axial (longitudinal) and transverse orientations, whilst random fibre composites simulate in-plane isotropic behaviour. The effect of the fibre and matrix properties on the structural behaviour of a composite is investigated in the context of fibre volume fractions (and weight fractions), assuming no voids and perfect fibre-matrix adhesion.
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Notes
- 1.
Note, the terms stiffness and elastic modulus are sometimes used interchangeably in this text. In fact, stiffness is not the same as elastic modulus but they are related. This stiffness and elastic modulus relationship is dependent on specimen dimensions and the load application. For instance, in axial members, E is actually related to stiffness (measured along the member’s length) via
. - 2.
A significant underestimate is known to result from this simple expression but it is considered here (in this introductory text) to offer a sensible design estimate. If necessary, a more accurate estimate can be calculated using the more complex, semi-empirical Halpin-Tsai expression in [7].
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Hall, W., Javanbakht, Z. (2021). Mechanics of Composite Structures. In: Design and Manufacture of Fibre-Reinforced Composites. Advanced Structured Materials, vol 158. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78807-0_2
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