Efficient approach to the structure-property relationship of woven and braided fabric-reinforced composites up to failure

In the author's previous work, the woven and braided fabric-reinforced composites were analyzed using fully three-dimensional (3D) formulas of a micromechanics Bridging Model. Although explicit in expression, the 3D formulas require an iteration to determine the bridging elements involved at every load step when the analysis is out of elastic range. This is computationally less effective. In most cases, the woven and braided composites are reinforced with two-dimensional (2D) woven and braided preforms. For these composites, the 2D bridging model formulas may be more suitable. This has indeed been shown in the present paper. By comparing the predicted results of the 2D and the 3D bridging model formulas with the measured data for the stress-strain responses of a number of diamond and regular braided composites up to failure, it has been found that the 2D model is sufficiently accurate. Considering that no iteration is required, the 2D bridging model formulas are more efficient for the failure analysis and strength prediction of composites reinforced with 2D braided as well as woven fabrics.