Microstructural design of fiber composites

TLDR

Composite microstructure design aims to optimize performance, driven by advances in laminated composite mechanics, including thick laminates, hygrothermal, and thermal transient effects. The study analyzes continuous‑fiber composites, examining load redistribution from fiber breakage, statistical tensile strength theories, failure modes of laminates, elastic, physical, and viscoelastic properties of short‑fiber composites, and 2D textile structural composites, while also addressing finite elastic deformation of flexible composites. The work demonstrates that composite performance can be tuned by material selection and geometry, and that processing of 3D textile preforms governs the resulting microstructure.

Abstract

The optimum performance design of composite microstructures is discussed. The forces driving progress in fiber composites are examined, and recent developments in the mechanics of laminated composites are surveyed, emphasizing thick laminates, hygrothermal effects, and thermal transient effects. The strength of continuous-fiber composites is discussed, presenting analyses of local load redistribution due to fiber breakages and treatments of statistical tensile strength theories. Modes of failure of laminated composites are examined. Elastic, physical, and viscoelastic properties as well as the strength and fracture behavior of short-fiber composites are studied, and it is shown how the performance of composites can be controlled by selecting material systems and their geometric distributions. 2D textile structural composites based on woven, knitted, and braided preforms are considered, and techniques for analyzing and modeling the thermomechanical behavior of 2D textile composites are presented. Recent developments in the processing of 3D textile preforms are introduced and the processing-microstructure relationship is demonstrated. Finite elastic deformation of flexible composites is addressed.