Experimental and numerical evaluation of effects of kidney-shape carbon fiber on transverse cracking of carbon fiber reinforced plastics. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kitagawa, Youzou; Yoshimura, Akinori; Arai, Masahiro; Goto, Keita; Sugiura, Naoki
• Is Part Of: Composites. Volume 152(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Transverse cracking -- Non-circular fibers -- Finite element analysis (FEA) -- Micro-mechanics; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Manufacturing processes -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Manufacturing processes; Periodicals; 620.11805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2021.106690
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-835X

Abstract

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the effects of fiber cross-sectional shape on the trans- verse crack extension of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) both experimentally and numerically. Kidney-shape carbon fiber was compared with the laminates using conventional round-shape carbon fiber by monitoring the transverse crack accumu- lation behavior during static tensile tests. The experimental results showed that kidney-shape carbon fibers retard the initiation of transverse cracks and suppress their accumulation. Moreover, a micromechanical simulation based on finite ele- ment method was performed to consider the effects of fiber cross-sectional shape on crack propagation. In the case of the major damage process of the two kinds of CFRPs to be different in the simulations, the numerical results agreed well with the experimental ones. It was experimentally and numerically demonstrated that the kidney-shape carbon fiber suppresses the transverse crack accumulation and retards the crack initiation in CFRP laminates compared with round-shape carbon fiber.