Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
(Received 14 February 1991; revised version received 4 September 1991; accepted 2 October 1991)
Two fabric composite models are presented for the on-axes elastic analysis of
two-dimensional orthogonal plain weave fabric lamina. These are two-
dimensional models taking into account the actual strand cross-section
geometry, possible gap between two adjacent strands and undulation and
continuity of strands along both warp and fill directions. The shape functions
considered to define the geometry of the woven fabric lamina compare well
with the photomicrographs of actual woven fabric lamina cross-sections. There
is a good correlation between the predicted results and the experimental
values. Certain modifications are suggested to the simple models available in
the literature so that these models can also be used to predict the elastic
properties of woven fabric laminae under specific conditions. Some design
studies have been carried out for graphite/epoxy woven fabric laminae. Effects
of woven fabric geometrical parameters on the elastic properties of the
laminae have been investigated.
models which can predict the mechanical and consideration the undulation in both warp and fill
thermal properties of the WF composites. directions, but the actual strand cross-sectional
A variety of analytical models (Raju et al. ~) geometry was not considered. The properties of
has been proposed for the prediction of the the undulated warp and fill strands were
thermo-elastic properties of WF laminae. The evaluated under the constant stress condition in
models are based on the classical laminate theory the strand and then the classical laminate theory
(CLT) 2-4 or finite element analysis, s-7 Halphin et was used to predict the overall properties.
al. 2 extended the laminate analogy developed to A 3-D finite element analysis was presented by
predict the elastic stiffness of a randomly- Raju et al. ~ to predict the thermal expansion
oriented, short-fibre composite to 2-D and 3-D coefficients of the WF lamina. Here, again the
woven fabric composites. The weave geometry WF lamina was idealised as an assemblage of
considered here represents the fabric in 1-D only asymmetric crossply laminates. Whitcomb 6 also
and also the circular geometry of the strand used the 3-D finite element analysis to analyse
cross-section considered here is not realistic. WF lamina. Here, the undulation and continuity
Chou & Ishikawa 3 have presented three models of the strands were considered in order to study
to predict the elastic properties of WF lamina. the effect of various weave parameters on the
These are the mosaic model,S the fibre mechanical properties of the WF lamina. The
undulation model s and the combination of the undulation shapes at the interlacing considered in
above two, the bridging model. 9 The mosaic the above studies were very approximate and
model idealises the WF lamina as an may not present an accurate behaviour of a plain
assemblage of asymmetric crossply laminates. weave fabric lamina.
Depending on whether the pieces of the crossply Zhang & Harding 7 and Dow & Ramnath 14
laminate are in parallel or in series, i.e. isostrain presented fabric models based on energy
or isostress condition, respectively, the bounds of principles. Zhang & Harding 7 used the strain
the stiffness as predicted by the mosaic model can energy equivalence principle to predict the elastic
be evaluated. This model does not consider the properties of a plain weave lamina. The finite
strand continuity and stress disturbance at the element method was used to evaluate the strain
interface of the assemblage. The fibre undulation energies of the constituent phases for the
model considers the strand continuity and analysis. In these studies (Refs 7 and 14), the
undulation, but it is a 1-D model as it considers undulation of the strand was considered in the
the undulation of the strand in the loading loading direction only and therefore all the
direction only. The combination of mosaic and inherent discrepancies present in 1-D models
fibre undulation models, called the bridging would also be present.
model, was proposed to analyse satin weave
fabrics. The model considers the bridging effect
present in the satin weave fabric due to the 1.1 The choice of a 2-D model
presence of non-interlacing regions. The bridging
model considers the fibre continuity and is a 2-D A single layer WF composite is designated as WF
model for satin weave, but reduces to fibre lamina. The woven fabric can be in the form of
undulation model in the case of plain weave. This an open weave or a close weave. In the case of
model considers the undulation in the loading the open weave, there may be gaps between two
direction, as in the case of the fibre undulation adjacent strands, whereas close weave fabrics are
model, but the strand undulation in the tightly woven without any gap between two
transverse direction and its actual cross-sectional adjacent strands. There can also be certain
geometry are not considered. These models were fabrics made of twisted strands which would
later extended to evaluate the thermal properties invariably have a certain amount of gap even if
and to analyse hybrid WF laminae. ~°-~2 In they are tightly woven. It is obvious that the
general, the analytical predictions did not presence of a gap between the adjacent strands
correlate well with the experimental results ~3 for would affect the stiffness of the WF lamina and
plain weave fabric composites. hence should be accounted for while evaluating
Kabelka 4 suggested a method of evaluating the the thermo-mechanical properties.
elastic and thermal properties of a plain weave The experimentally determined fibre volume
fabric lamina. This is a 2-D model taking into fraction, Vf, of the WF lamina is the overall Vf,
138 N. K. Naik, V. K. Ganesh
z z
ho
~ I
,:~::~ ,
ho
SECTION S o- S O SECTION S~- S~
h 0 = hm/2
,z ., ?z .',
~.. i
I ,
SECTION S z - S z SECTION S 3 - S 1
t1 1 -t--
• o~12 WARF
V~', but for the analysis of the WF lamina the Figure 1 presents the cross-sections of a plain
strand Vf, V~, forms the input. It is therefore weave fabric lamina at different sections from the
necessary to evaluate the strand Vf from the midpoint of the fill strand (So-S0) to the midpoint
overall Vf determined experimentally. The
available methodologies do not take into account
the gap between the adjacent strands, the actual
cross-sectional geometry of the strand, and
strand undulation transverse to the loading
direction. Mathematically, the series model 3
should give the lower bound of stiffness due to
the assumption of the isostress condition and
thereby higher complementary energy. But
owing to the gross simplification of not
considering the above mentioned parameters, the
1-D series model predicts higher stiffness than
the expected lower bound. Also, for the
evaluation of the strand Vf from the overall Vf,
the information about the gap and strand
undulation in both warp and fill directions is Fig. 2. Optical micrograph---cross-sectionalview of a plain
necessary. weave fabric laminate.
Prediction of on-axes elastic properties of plain weave fabric composites 139
of the gap ($4-$4). Figure 2 is an optical 2. 1.1 Slice array model (SAM)
micrograph showing the typical cross-sections of In the analysis, the strand is taken to be
the plain weave fabric lamina at different transversely isotropic and its elastic properties
sections. A typical plain weave fabric structure is are evaluated from the transversely isotropic
shown in Fig. 3. It is seen that the thickness of fibre and matrix properties at strand Vf. It should
the fill strand decreases gradually from the be noted that owing to the presence of pure
midpoint of the strand to zero in the gap region. matrix pockets in the WF lamina, the strand Vf
This reduction due to the strand cross-sectional would be much higher than the composite overall
geometry would reduce the overall stiffness of Vf. The strand properties are evaluated using the
the WF lamina. Therefore, the geometry of the composite cylinder assemblage (CCA) model
strand cross-section should be considered while (Refs 15 and 16) which is briefly presented in the
evaluating the stiffness and this requires a 2-D Appendix. The details of evaluation of strand Vf
model. The available 1-D models predict higher from composite overall Vf is discussed later.
stiffness as the maximum strand thickness is The representative unit cell of a WF lamina is
considered in these models. taken as shown in Fig. 4(a). By virtue of the
symmetry of the interlacing region in plain weave
fabric, only one quarter of the interlacing region
is analysed. The analysis of the unit cell is then
2 FABRIC COMPOSITE MODELS performed by dividing the unit cell into a number
of slices as shown in Fig. 4(b). These slices are
The plain weave fabric composite models then idealised in the form of a four-layered
presented here are 2-D in the sense that they laminate i.e. an asymmetric crossply sandwiched
consider the undulation and continuity of the between two pure matrix layers as shown in Fig.
strand in both the warp and fill directions. The
4(c). The effective properties of the individual
models also account, for the presence of the gap
layer considering the presence of undulation are
between adjacent strands and different material
used to evaluate the elastic constants of the
and geometrical properties of the warp and fill
idealised laminate. This, in turn, is used to
strands. evaluate the elastic constants of the unit cell/WF
lamina.
In order to define the undulation and geometry
2.1 Refined models
of the strand cross-section the following shape
functions are used. The below mentioned
Two refined models are presented in this section.
expressions are with reference to Figs 5 and 6.
In the first model, the unit cell is discretised into
In the Y - Z plane, i.e. along the warp direction
slices along the loading direction. The individual (Fig. 5)
slices are analysed separately and the unit cell
elastic properties are evaluated by assembling the hf :~y
zy,(y) = - ~- cos - - (1)
slices under the isostrain condition. Such a model ayt
140 N. K. Naik, V. K. Ganesh
kZ
hm/2
. jJ''
_ _ _ ~ ~ ( y ) ..............
" ~ hZ f ~
i
•; - " ~
hw WARP
hY2 [Y)
c hf 0 L_ __
$
hm/2
- - o f f 2 - - -~ gfl2
Fig. 5. Plain weave fabric lamina cross-section: warp
direction.
and
hyl(y) - hf
~ + hm zy2(y)
hy2(y) = hw
(b) ACTUAL SLICES
hy3(y) = zy2(y) - zy~(y) y = O--~afl2
=0 y = ae/2----~ (af + g,)12
hy4(y) = hf
~ + hm zy~(y)
(3)
In the X - Z plane, i.e. along the fill direction
(Fig. 6)
hw :rx hm
zxl(x, y) = -~- cos - - - hy~(y) + - - (4)
2 ax, 2
hw ~rx hm
* FACTORED h w zx2(x, y) = - -~- cos (aw + gw) hyjy) + ~ (5)
(c) IOEALISEDSLICES
and
4 aw/2
h, ( ~ae ~
zy, = + ~- cos \2(af + &) / Fig. 6. Plain weave fabric lamina cross-section: fill
direction.
Prediction of on-axes elastic properties of plain weave fabric composites 141
where
$'t'aw
axt =
_~[2z~;~
2 cos t~
\hw/
h~ [ n:a.
Zx, = - - ~ COS~, - - ~
2 2(a. + g . ) // 0.09rnrn--=~ O-&8mm
The volume of the pure matrix region in the written as (Ref. 17)
unit cell can be evaluated by calculating the
1 m4
thicknesses in the pure matrix region for the s,,(8) - - -
obtain the slice compliances. The slices A', B' 3 MODIFIED SIMPLE MODELS
and C' are placed in series along the loading
direction. The unit cell compliance is obtained by The simple models available in the literature are
the integrated average of the slice compliances. not accurate for the prediction of the elastic
The unit cell stiffnesses are obtained by inverting constants of 2-D plain weave fabric laminae.
the unit cell compliances. Thus is the parallel- Here, modifications are suggested to the existing
series (PS) combination. simple models, 3'4 which make the results of these
Here, the expressions used to define the models comparable with the refined model
undulation and the geometry of the strand predictions.
cross-section are the same as the ones used in
SAM, i.e. eqns (1)-(6). The strand Vf and the 3.1 Modified mosaic parallel model (MMPM)
local off-axis angle in fill and warp directions are
calculated from eqns (7), (8) and (9), respec- In the 1-D parallel model, 3 the fabric is idealised
tively. The elastic constants of the warp and fill as an assemblage of units of antisymmetric
strands within the element are transformed using crossply laminates placed in parallel across the
eqn (10). Then the stiffnesses of the elements are loading direction. Here, the continuity and
calculated from CLT. The elastic constants of the undulation of the strands are not considered. A
unit cell/WF lamina are then evaluated as constant midplane strain is assumed in order to
described earlier, i.e. by either a series-parallel evaluate the stiffness of the WF lamina. From
or parallel-series combination. this assumption the equations for the in-plane
In the SP combination (Fig. 9(a)), the average stiffness for a plain weave fabric lamina reduce to
of the slice coupling compliance, (b*~ , a, ~, in the
Aij = A~ (16)
n t h slice would be nullified by a similar slice in
the adjacent unit cell. But, the element coupling In the above model the crossply stiffnesses are
stiffness, (Bij) e~, and bending stiffness, (D~j)e~, calculated from the elastic properties of the UD
would increase the value of the element lamina at the strand Vt. Therefore the stiffnesses
" *'~ , on inversion. This
extensional compliance, taxi) predicted by the mosaic parallel model are much
would amount to local softening of the element higher than the experimental results. If the
and hence a reduction in the stiffness of the slice overall Vf of the WF lamina experimentally
and finally the WF lamina. But in a PS determined is used to evaluate the elastic
combination (Fig. 9(b)), the average of the slice properties of the UD lamina and then the mosaic
coupling stiffness in the nth slice, (B~j)S~, would be parallel model is used to predict the WF lamina
nullified by a similar slice in the adjacent unit stiffness properties, the results are in good
cell. In a PS combination, since the slice coupling agreement with the predictions of the refined
stiffnesses are zero, the slice extensional com- models as well as the experimental results.
*'~ , are not affected by the coupling
pliances,"~aij)
and bending stiffness terms on inversion. A PS 3.2 Modified Kabeika's model (MKM)
combination would therefore predict a higher
value of stiffness compared to a SP combination. In this model (Ref. 4), the WF lamina is idealised
In a WF lamina, locally induced moment as a three-layered laminate consisting of two
resultants would be present as a result of the undulated laminae in the crossply configuration
application of the in-plane stress resultants. For a (Fig. 10) and one pure matrix layer. Here,
plain weave fabric lamina, owing to the nature of the UD elastic properties of the undulated
interlacing the induced moment would be such laminae in the crossply configuration are reduced
that it constrains the local bending deformation. for undulation and then CLT is used to evaluate
This would amount to setting the element the elastic properties of the WF lamina.
curvature terms to zero. When this is done, both The local off-axis angle of the fill and warp
SP and PS combinations would give the same strands are expressed a s : 4
results. d [hw z~x~
In SAM the mean integral value was calculated 0f(x) = tan -1 ~ t - - cos - - t (17)
\2 aw/
by using an exact integration. But in E A M the
integration becomes complex and the integral Ow(y) = t a n - l - v - cos (18)
should therefore be evaluated numerically. uy
Prediction of on-axes elastic properties of plain weave fabric composites 145
laminae were prepared at room temperature in a Table 1. Elastic properties of fibre and matrix
specially designed matched die mould. The
Material
overall fibre volume fractions of the laminae (GPa) (OPa) (GPa) (GPa)
were determined as described in the ASTM
specification D 3171. Fibre
Carbon t9 230-0 40-0 24-0 14-3 0-26
Static tensile test specimens were prepared E-glass~ 72.0 72.0 27-7 27.7 0-30
according to ASTM specification D 3039. The Graphite 19 388.0 7.2 6.8 2-4 0-23
laminae thicknesses of the E-glass/epoxy and Matrix
epoxy~ 3.5 3.5 1.3 1.3 0-35
carbon/epoxy composites were less than the
minimum required by ASTM D3039. Since no Isotropic.
other standards are available for such testing, the
same standard was used for the specimens made
from WF laminae. The tests were performed on a In order to examine the micromechanical
Lloyd M50K machine. The specimens were approaches for the prediction of the elastic
tested at room temperature (27°C) at a crosshead constants of a WF lamina, three material systems
speed of 1 mm/min. A total of 40 specimens was with different weave geometries were considered.
tested. The scatter range for carbon/epoxy for Ey The elastic properties of the fibres and matrix are
was 56-61 GPa and for Ex it was 47-50 GPa. For given in Table 1. Assumed geometry within the
E-glass/epoxy, the scatter range was 17-21 GPa. practical range was taken for the graphite/epoxy
The mean values of the test results are presented material system in order to study the sensitivity
in the next section. of the fabric geometry on the elastic properties of
The geometrical parameters of the fabric were the WF lamina. The fabric geometrical para-
determined by means of an optical microscope at meters of carbon/epoxy and E-glass/epoxy WF
a magnification of 20. laminae are the actual dimensions measured with
an optical microscope (Table 2). These two
material systems were considered to compare the
5 RESULTS A N D DISCUSSION results of the proposed models with the
experimental results. Table 3 presents the
Two fabric composite models have been pre- measured V~' and the corresponding calculated
sented for the on-axes elastic analysis of 2-D V~. In the case of the graphite/epoxy WF lamina,
orthogonal plain weave fabric laminae. The V~' was calculated from a V~ of 0.8. The
models consider the actual strand cross-sectional maximum V~ was assumed to be 0.8 to ensure
geometry and the presence of a gap between the that the fibres do not become contiguous. In the
adjacent strands. An analytical technique to above calculations the V~ values of the warp and
evaluate VI from V~' determined experimentally fill strands were assumed to be the same and this
is also presented. The shape functions considered assumption is valid as the diameter of the fibres
are compared with a scanning electron micro- in the warp and fill strands are the same and the
graph. The shape functions agree well with the processing conditions are the same.
actual geometry of the WF lamina. It is seen from Table 3, that V~' is almost half
Some approximations are incorporated in of V~. This is possible in the case of a plain
SAM in order to reduce the computational weave fabric lamina because of the number and
complexity without compromising on the final size of pure resin pockets present. It may not be
results for actual WF lamina configurations. possible to achieve a V~' of about 0.5 and above
These approximations would predict slightly in the case of plain weave fabric laminae. With
higher stiffness compared to EAM. In E A M two this the maximum V~ of 0-7-0.8 would have been
combinations of assembling the element stiffness attained.
are presented. In the SP combination, the local Table 4 presents the elastic properties of the
bending deformations can be considered or they UD lamina at VI and V~' calculated from the
can be assumed to be constrained by locally composite cylinder assemblage (CCA) model. 15,16
induced moments. The assumption that the local With these U D lamina properties and different
bending deformations are constrained is realistic models described in the preceding sections and
considering the nature of interlacing of the plain Ref. 4, the elastic properties of the WF laminae
weave fabric composites. considered were predicted. In the case of the
Prediction of on-axes elastic properties of plain weave fabric composites 147
Table 2. Plain weave fabric lamina strand and weave geometrical parameters
a Determined experimentally.
b Calculated from strand Vf of 0.80.
Table 3. Overall Vf and the corresponding strand Vf Table 4. Elastic properties of UD lamina using CCA model
Material Overall Vf (Vf°) Strand Vf (V~) Material EL ET GLT Gaa- VLT Vf
(GPa) (GVa) (GPa) (GPa)
Carbon/epoxy 0-44 0.78
E-Glass/epoxy 0.42 0-70 Carbon/epoxy 182.50 18-50 7-55 6.70 0.28 0.78
Graphite/epoxy 0-41 0.80 105.40 8.60 3.00 3.00 0.40 0-44
E-Glass/epoxy 5 1 . 5 0 17-50 5.80 6.60 0.31 0.70
32.25 8.55 2.85 3.10 0.39 0.42
E-glass/epoxy WF lamina, the strand appeared, Graphite/epoxy 311.00 6.30 4-40 2,10 0.25 0.80
when seen through an optical microscope, to 161.00 5.00 2-27 1,70 0-30 0.41
have a slight twist. Ideally, the UD lamina
properties evaluated using the CCA model calculations. But, in this case, as the angle of
should be multiplied by the fibre-to-strand twist was small the translation efficiency factor
property translation efficiency factor and then was taken as unity. The predicted results are
these properties should be used for further tabulated in Table 5.
Table 5. Elastic properties of plain weave fabric lamina: Comparison of predicted and
experimental results
The unit cell was subdivided into 50 slices the E-glass/epoxy and graphite/epoxy WF
parallel to the loading direction in SAM. In laminae whereas they are different for the
E A M , the unit cell was subdivided into 50 slices. carbon/epoxy WF lamina. For the carbon/epoxy
The slices were along the loading direction in the WF lamina, since aw > af and gw < g~, one would
SP combination whereas they were across the expect E,. to be greater than Ex. Such results are
loading direction in the PS combination. For obtained from SAM and PS. For SP, the trend
both the SP and PS combinations, each slice was can be different depending upon the effect of
further subdivided into 50 elements. Hence, the coupling terms. The contribution of the absolute
total n u m b e r of elements was 2500. This was values of the coupling terms is more in the
arrived at after a convergence study. In the case overlap region than in the gap region.
of carbon/epoxy and E-glass/epoxy, the ex- In the case of the carbon/epoxy and
perimental values of Young's moduli along the E-glass/epoxy WF laminae the difference in
warp and fill directions are also presented in results of SAM and PS is less, but the results of
Table 5. The comparison of the predicted results PS in the case of a graphite/epoxy WF lamina are
by SAM, PS, the modified mosaic parallel model considerably lower than the results predicted by
(MMPM) and the modified Kabelka's model SAM. This is due to the lower strand thickness to
(MKM) exhibit good agreement with the strand width (h/a) ratio in the case of
experimental results in the case of carbon/epoxy carbon/epoxy and E-glass/epoxy WF laminae
and E-glass/epoxy. and higher h/a for graphite/epxoy WF lamina.
The local bending deformation is considered in Recalling SAM, in order to consider the net
SP and therefore the results of SP are lower effect of the warp strand, warp strand thickness
compared to the results of PS. But, in an actual was factored to its mid value and the effect of the
plain weave fabric lamina, local bending gap was taken into account approximately. The
deformations due to the coupling effect in each difference in the results of SAM and PS is due to
unit cell can be assumed to be constrained. The this approximation in SAM. The approximation
results of PS in which the element coupling terms seems to be valid when the h/a ratio is low as the
do not affect the slice compliance are therefore slope of the strand outer contour would be small
taken as realistic. It should be noted that the and the thickness of the strand would be nearly
results of PS with or without the coupling terms uniform along the strand width. In PS, the slices
would be the same and the results of SP without are subdivided further into elements and the
the coupling terms would be the same as the thickness of the warp strand at the midpoint of
results of PS. The results presented in Table 5 that element is considered while calculating the
against SP combination are the results obtained stiffness. Therefore, this m e t h o d would give
considering the local bending deformations. consistent results for all h/a ratios and the results
Comparing the results of PS and SP of E A M , would always be less than that of SAM. The only
it can be seen that the coupling terms have drawback of PS is that it involves more
affected the carbon/epoxy WF lamina results calculations and therefore consumes more com-
more than the E-glass/epoxy or graphite/epoxy putational time.
WF lamina results. This is due to less undulation General evaluation of approximate methods is,
in carbon/epoxy WF lamina and larger EL/ET of course, impossible. The validity of the
ratio of the equivalent carbon/epoxy U D lamina. modified simple models, i.e. M M P M and MKM,
This would increase the absolute value of the is therefore assessed only on the basis of
coupling terms and thereby lead to greater local individual cases. Two actual WF laminae
softening. In the case of the graphite/epoxy WF configurations and one assumed geometry case
lamina, although its equivalent U D EL/E.r ratio were considered to assess the modified simple
is high, the effect of coupling terms is smaller, by models. The assumed geometry case was
comparison with the carbon/epoxy WF lamina, considered to evaluate the modified simple
because of the greater undulation of the strands. models at a high level of undulation and for the
It may be noted that the E-glass and graphite sake of generality.
plain weave fabrics considered are balanced The results obtained from the refined models,
whereas the carbon plain weave fabric is modified simple models and a simple model (Ref.
unbalanced (Table 2). Hence, the elastic moduli 4) are tabulated in Table 5. The simple model
along the warp and fill directions are the same for presented in Ref. 4 is only for close weave and
Prediction of on-axes elasticproperties of plain weavefabric composites 149
hence it does not take the presence of a gap into are constant for all h/a ratios and a given gap.
account. For the present calculations, therefore, This is true because the variation of h/a would
the gap was assumed to be equal to zero. The correspondingly reduce the total thickness of the
results of MMPM compare well with the results lamina and the volume of pure matrix regions,
of refined models in the case of carbon/epoxy thereby keeping V~' constant. This clearly
and E-glass/epoxy WF laminae and is grossly indicates that MMPM gives the same result for
inaccurate for a graphite/epoxy WF lamina. But all h/a ratios for a given material system and gap.
the results of MKM compare well for the Figure 12 shows the variation of V~' and V~ as a
E-glass/epoxy WF lamina and not so well for function of the gap width to strand width (g/a)
graphite/epoxy and carbon/epoxy WF laminae. ratio. Here, it is seen that V~ reduces with the
MMPM gives an accurate prediction for same V~ as the gap increases. Now, with this
carbon/epoxy and E-glass/epoxy WF laminae, observation it can be shown that MMPM
because these WF laminae configurations have considers the gap indirectly, i.e. with the
lower h/a ratios. It may be noted that while presence of the gap, V~' falls and correspondingly
formulating this model the presence of undula- alters the equivalent U D elastic constants. MKM
tion was ignored and lower h/a amounts to considers the effect of the reduced Vf by
undulation angle tending to zero. The authen- considering the balance of the factored warp and
ticity of this can be verified by comparing the fill layer thicknesses as a pure matrix layer.
results of MMPM with the results of the refined The predicted values of Gxy and vxy are also
models in the case of a graphite/epoxy WF presented in Table 5. In general, the refined and
lamina. Here, it is seen that MMPM gives very modified simple models give lower values of WF
high modulus values as it does not consider the lamina G~y, whereas these models give higher
undulation whereas the undulation is the values of Vxy compared to the simple model. The
principal parameter which reduces the stiffness in lower values of G~y are due to the lower value of
the case of a graphite/epoxy WF lamina. V~' and the presence of undulation. The higher
The prediction of MKM compares well with values of Vxy occur for the same reasons. The
the results of refined models compared to the values of Gxy were evaluated by carrying out the
results of MMPM for the fabric structures having analysis along the warp and fill directions
higher h/a, i.e. for graphite/epoxy. For the case separately in the case of carbon/epoxy WF
of a carbon/epoxy WF lamina, though the lamina. The same results were obtained in both
prediction is not as accurate as that of MMPM, cases.
the results are also not grossly inaccurate. This is The degree of undulation depends on the
because MKM mainly considers the stiffness h/(a + g) ratio. Lower h/(a + g) ratio indicates a
reduction due to the presence of undulation and lower degree of undulation and vice versa. Figure
the undulation is quite small for a carbon/epoxy 11 presents the effect of the hw/aw ratio on E~ as
WF lamina. a function of gap (gw) for a balanced, plain weave
The stiffness reduction in a WF lamina is fabric lamina with aw = af, hw = hf and gw = gf. It
mainly due to the lower V~' and the presence of is obvious from the plot that as the hw/aw ratio
undulation in the strands as compared to the U D increases for a given gap, Ex reduces. This is
crossply laminates. MMPM considers the re- attributed to the fact that as the hw/aw ratio
duced V~' by considering the strand properties at increases, the effect of undulation is increased.
V~', but does not consider the undulation of The reduction in E~ is steeper for larger values of
strands. This model is therefore applicable for gw. As seen from Fig. 11, the presence of larger
fabric structures having very much less undula- gw can further reduce the undulation and
tion. It is worth noting here that most of the consequently the higher value of E~ is obtained
actual woven fabrics used in structural applica- than with lower values of gw until an optimum
tions and made of high modulus fibres have lower hw/aw value is reached. The trend would be the
h/a ratios. There can be a combination of Vf and reverse above the optimum value of the hw/aw
undulation which would give practically the same ratio. In other words, in this range, lower values
results by MMPM and MKM. This can be seen in of Ex would be obtained with higher values of gw
the case of E-glass/epoxy WF lamina. Figure 11 than with lower values of gw.
shows the variation of V~' and V~ as a function of The variation of Ex as a function of gw/aw for
h/a ratio. Here, it is seen that both V~' and V~ different hw/aw ratios is presented in Fig. 12 for a
150 N. K. Naik, V. K. Ganesh
I 0.8
80 -- _ ~ ~ ' S T R AND Vf
" ~ gw = 0"5 mm
70
0'6
o 60
O.
-o /)'\
50
t,L,l 0.4
\~. --OVERALL Vf
40 _ ~N~ gw = 0"5mm
30
0,2
20
10 1 I l I O-0
0"0 0-1 0"2 0"3 0"4 05
hw/a w
]Fig. 1]. Variation of K~ and Vr as a function of h~/a,~.
balanced, plain weave fabric lamina. The effect that the optimum gap would give the maximum
of gwiS twofold. As the gap is increased, possible elastic moduli. In addition to this, the
obviously V~' would decrease with the same V~, fabrics with gaps between adjacent strands, i.e.
in turn the elastic moduli would reduce. On the open weave fabrics, provide better wettability
other hand, the presence of a gap would reduce and in turn better performance of the WF
the degree of undulation and hence the elastic lamina/laminate. It is seen from Fig. 12 that as
moduli would increase. From this it is obvious gw/awincreases, Ex increases until an optimum gw
40- -1-0
GRAPHITE /EPOXY
a w = 2"0 mrn
hw/aw= 0.15
0"8
""STRAND V~
3s = "r-~
h w / a W = 0-2 0'6
A
o __~_ .,c ~
(1.
X
uJ 0'4
0'2
hw/aw= 0"3
1 I I I 0.0
0'0 0"2 0,4 0"6 0"8 1"0
gw/aw
Fig. 12. Variation of Ex and Vt as a function of gw/aw.
Prediction of on-axes elasticproperties of plain weave fabric composites 151
is reached, and thereafter it decreases. For larger Ministry of Defence, Government of India,
h/a ratios, the numerical value of the optimum Grant No. Aero/RD-134/100/10/90-91/659.
gap is greater than for lower values of h/a ratios.
For certain combinations of fabric geometrical REFERENCES
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152 N. K. Naik, V. K. Ganesh