Transverse strength of unidirectional non-crimp fabric composites: Multiscale modelling

A multiscale approach is used to predict transverse tensile and transverse compressive strength of unidirectional non-crimp fabric (NCF) composites. Numerical analysis on fibre/matrix scale is performed to obtain the transverse strength of the fibre bundle to be further used in an analytical mesoscale model to predict the strength of the unidirectional NCF composite. Design of unidirectional layer composites with the same fibres, interface, matrix and volume fractions as in the bundle is suggested as an alternative method for bundle strength determination. Good agreement of both methods for bundle transverse strength determination is demonstrated. The simple analytical model used on mesoscale gives accurate predictions of the tensile transverse strength whereas the compressive strength is underestimated. The necessity of including bundle waviness in models when bidirectional NCF composites are analysed is demonstrated by FEM stress analysis and by experimental data showing differences in transverse cracking pattern due to bundle waviness. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.