Macro-mechanical modeling and experimental validation of anisotropic, pressure- and temperature-dependent behavior of short fiber composites

In this article, firstly a comprehensive experimental characterization of short fiber reinforced plastic (SFRP) composites sheets is presented. The micro-computed tomography (mu CT) is utilized at first to analyze the degree of anisotropy of the SFRP sheets. Then, destructive tests are applied to investigate the mechanical behavior of the sheets at different loading states. The experimental results are presented and discussed thoroughly. Secondly, based on the findings from the experiments conducted, the numerical modeling of the SFRP sheets is discussed. Therein, a user-defined macro-mechanical constitutive model is suggested to represent the sophisticated constitutive behavior of SFRP composites. A brief description of the model and the parameter identification is provided. The performance of the model is assessed and verified via the FE simulation of the destructive characterization tests. Furthermore, the model is employed in the simulation of biaxial stretching experiments of SFRP sheets. The experimental-numerical correlation results demonstrate the validity, accuracy, and applicability of the employed modeling procedure.