Analysis of 3D random chopped fiber reinforced composites using FEM and random sequential adsorption

The overall elastic properties of fiber reinforced composite are of primary importance for practical applications. In order to obtain the overall elastic properties, a homogenization procedure based on continuum micro-mechanics is usually applied to a representative volume element (RVE) representative of the whole composite. In this study, we first employ a modified random sequential adsorption algorithm to generate the complex geometry of a random fiber composite. Second, we investigate the effect of the interaction between two over-crossing fibers on the overall elastic properties of the composite. Third, we evaluate the overall elastic material properties of the composite using the finite element method for continuum micro-mechanical analysis. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.