Strength evaluation and failure analysis of unidirectional composites using Monte-Carlo simulation

Tensile strength and failure process of composite materials depend on the variation in fiber strength, matrix properties and fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength. A Monte-Carlo simulation considering variation in these factors has been widely used to analyze such a complicated phenomenon as a strength and simulate the failure process of unidirectional composites. In this study, a Monte-Carlo simulation using 2-D and 3-D (square and hexagonal array) model was performed on unidirectional graphite/epoxy and glass/polyester composites. The results simulated by using 3-D hexagonal array model have a good agreement with the experimental data which were tensile strength and failure process of unidirectional composites. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.