Mechanics of Composite

Materials

Constitutive Relationships for

Composite Materials
. Material Behavior in Principal Material Axes
Isotropic materials

uniaxial loading

E 1
2 1

G
G

E
21

2-D loading
x

y
xy

,0

2
2
1

E
E

,
,0 y
y
2
2
1 1

xy
0 , 0 , G xy

,
0
E E

,
,0 y
E E

xy
0 , 0 , 1

G
S Where [ S ]: compliance matrix

Where [Q]: stiffness matrix

Isotropic Materials
Note:
1. Only two independent material constants in the
constitutive equation.
2. No normal stress and shear strain coupling, or no
shear stress and normal strain coupling.
Examples:

polycrystalline metals,
Polymers
Randomly oriented fiber-reinforced composites
Particulate-reinforced composites

Transversely isotropic materials

In LT plane

LT

1
, LT , 0
EL
EL
L

TL
1

,
, 0 T
ET
ET

LT
1
0 , 0 ,

G LT

EL
TL E L

,
,
0
1

LT TL 1 LT TL

Principal material axes

L: longitudinal direction
T: transverse direction

L
LT ET

ET

,
, 0
T

1 LT TL 1 LT TL

LT

0
,
0
, G LT

T

LT

Transversely isotropic materials

In T1, T2 plane

1
, TT , 0
ET
ET

TT
1

,
, 0
ET
ET

T
1

T2

T1T2

Principal material axes

L: longitudinal direction
T: transverse direction

0 ,

T
1

T2

1 T1T2
0 ,

GTT

Same as those for isotropic materials:

GTT

ET
21 TT

Transversely isotropic materials

Where EL: elastic modulus in longitudinal direction
ET: elastic modulus in transverse direction
GLT: shear modulus in L T plane
GTT: shear modulus in transverse plane
LT: major Poissons ratio
(strain in T direction caused by stress in L direction)
TL : minor Poissons ratio
LT TL

And
EL
ET
Note: 1. 4 independent material constants (EL, ET, GLT, LT ) in L T
plane while 5 (EL, ET, GLT, LT, GTT) for 3-D state.
2. No normal stress and shear strain coupling in L T axes or
no shear stress and normal strain coupling in L T axes

Orthotropic materials
For example in 1-2 plane

1 12
,
, 0
E1 E1

1
21

,
,
0
2

E
E
2
2

12

1
0
,
0
,

G
12

1.2.3: principal
material axes

12 21

E1
E2

2

12

E1
21 E1
,
1 1 , 0
12 21
12 21

1
12 E 2

E2

,
,
0
2
1 1

12 21
12 21

12

0
,
0
, G12

2

12

Orthotropic Materials
Note:
1. 4 independent constants in 2-D state (e.g. 1-2 plane, E1,
E2, G12, 12 )while 9 in 3-D state (E1, E2, E3, G12, G13, G23, 12 ,
13 , 23 )
2. No coupling between normal stress and shear strain or
no coupling between shear stress and normal strain

Question
Ex.

Find the deformed shape of the following composite:

Possible answers?

Off-axis loading of unidirectional

composite
For orthotropic material in principal material axes (1-2 axes)
1
Q11 Q12 0

2 Q21 Q22 0

0
0 Q66
12

By coordinate transformation
x
cos 2
sin 2

2
cos 2
y sin

xy

cossin , - cossin ,
x

y
xy

T 1 2

12

2

12

1
1

1
2cossin 2 T 2

cos 2 - sin 2 12
12
- 2cossin

, xyxy are tensorial shear strains

Let

1
1 0

2 0 1

0 0
12

0 1
1

0 2 R 2

2 12
12

Then

xy

1
1
1

1
1
1
T 2 T Q 2 T Q R 2



12
12
12
x

T Q R T y T Q R T R y Q y

xy
xy
xy

Transformed stiffness matrix

Where

Q T 1 Q R T R 1

= transformed stiffness matrix

Q11 Q11m 4 2 Q12 2Q66 m 2 n 2 Q22 n 4

Q22 Q11n 4 2 Q12 2Q66 m 2 n 2 Q22 m 4

Q12 Q11 Q22 4Q66 m 2 n 2 Q12 m 4 n 4

Q66 Q11 Q22 2Q12 2Q66 m 2 n 2 Q66 m 4 n 4

Q16 Q11 Q12 2Q66 m 3 n Q12 Q22 2Q66 mn 3

Q26 Q11 Q12 2Q66 mn 3 Q12 Q22 2Q66 m 3 n

m cos , n sin

Transformed compliance matrix

x

y
y
y

xy
xy
xy

: transformed compliance matrix

Off-axis loading - deformation

x

y
xy

Q11 Q12 Q16 x

Q12 Q22 Q26 y
Q Q

Q
26
66 xy
16

1. 4 material constants in 1-2 plane.

2. There is normal stress and shear strain coupling (for0, 90 ), or
shear stress and normal strain coupling.

Transformation of engineering
constants
For uni-axial tensile testing in x-direction

x 0, y xy 0

stresses in L T axes
x cos 2

x
L

2
T T 0 x sin

0
sin cos
x
LT

Strains in L T axes

L
S11 S12 0 L

T S12 S 22 0 T

0
0 S 66 LT
LT
cos 2
sin 2

LT
TL
,
, 0

E
E
EL
2
L
T

x cos

2
2
sin

1
cos
TL ,
, 0 x sin 2

x
LT
ET
ET
EL
sin cos
ET
x

sin cos

1
0 , 0 ,

GLT
GLT

EL

And strains in x y axes

T
y

1
xy
LT
2

x
y

1
xy
2

cos 2
sin 2
TL

E
E
L
T

sin 2
cos 2

1
T x
LT

E
E
T
L

sin cos

2
G
LT

cos 4 sin 4 1 1
2

LT sin 2 2

ET
4 G LT
EL
EL

1 1 2 LT
1
1

sin 2 2
x LT

EL 4 EL
EL
ET G LT

1 sin 2 LT 1 1 cos 2 1 2 LT 1 1
E
2
E
E
2
G
EL
ET G LT
L
T
LT
L

Recall for uni-axial tensile testing

Ex

x
x

2
1
cos 4 sin 4 1 1

LT
Ex
EL
ET
4 G LT
EL
and y xy x
xy

xy
Ex

y
x

y
x

sin 2 2

y
x

Ex

LT 1 1 2 LT
1
1

EL 4 EL
EL
ET G LT

sin 2 2

Define cross-coefficient, mx

xy m x x
EL
xy E L
mx
x

E
EL
E
E
sin 2 LT L
cos 2 1 2 LT L L
ET 2G LT
ET G LT

Similarly, for uni-axial tensile testing in y-direction

2
1
sin 4 cos 4 1 1

LT
Ey
EL
ET
4 G LT
EL
yx TL 1 1 2 TL
1
1

Ey
ET 4 E L
ET
ET G LT

m y sin 2 LT

sin 2 2

sin 2

xy
Ex

E
EL
E
E
L
sin 2 1 2 LT L L
ET 2G LT
ET G LT

For simple shear testing in x y plane

x y 0, xy 0
stresses in L T axes
2 sin cos
0
L
xy

T T 0 2 xy sin cos

2
2
LT
xy
xy cos sin

Strains in L T axes

, LT , 0
EL
EL

L
TL
1

,
, 0
T
ET
ET

LT

1
0 ,
0 ,

GLT

, LT ,
EL
EL

2 xy sin cos

2 xy sin cos

2
2
xy cos sin

TL
1

,
, 0
T
ET

ET
LT

1
0 , 0 ,

GLT

1 TL

E L ET

2 sin cos

1 LT

xy 2 sin cos

E
E
T
L

cos 2 sin 2

GLT

Strains in x y axes

L
x

1
y T T

xy
LT
2
2
xy
where x m x
EL

y m y

xy
EL

1
2
2
1 1
1
1
LT

LT

EL
ET E L
EL
ET G LT
EL

xy xy

G xy

cos 2 2

xy
xy

2
2
1
1
1 1
1
1

LT

LT

G xy E L
EL
ET E L
EL
E L G LT

cos 2 2

In summary, for a general planar loading, by principle of superposition

xy m x
1

,
,
Ex EL
Ex
x
x

yx 1
m y

,
,

y
y

E
E
E
y
y
L

xy
xy
mx m y
1
,
,

E
E
G
L
L
xy

Micromechanics of Unidirectional
Composites

Properties of unidirectional lamina is

determined by

volume fraction of constituent materials

(fiber, matrix, void, etc.)
form of the reinforcement (fiber, particle, )
orientation of fibers

Volume fraction & Weight fraction

Vi=volume, vi=volume fraction=

Vi
Vi

Vi Vc

Wi=weight, wi=weight fraction=

Wi
W
i
Wi Wc

Where
subscripts i = c: composite
f: fiber
m: matrix

Conservation of mass: Wc W f Wm

Wf

Wm

1
Wc Wc
w f wm 1
Assume composite is void-free:

Vc V f Vm
Vf

Vm

1
Vc Vc
v f vm 1

Density of composite
Wc W f Wm f V f g mVm g
c

Vc g
Vc g
Vc g

or

c f v f m vm
Vc V f Vm
Wf
Wc
Wm

c g f g m g
w f wm
1

c f m

Generalized equations for n constituent composite

n

c i vi
i 1

1
n
wi

i 1
i

Void content determination

Experimental result (with voids):

ce f v f m vm v vv
f v f m vm L

Theoretical calculation (excluding voids): W W W

c
f
m

ct 1 vv f v f m vm
ct f v f m vm ct vv L

ct ce
void content : vv
ct
In general, void content

< 1% Good composite

> 5% Poor composite

Burnout test of glass/epoxy composite

Weight of empty crucible = 47.6504 g
Weight of crucible +composite = 50.1817 g
Weight of crucible +glass fibers = 49.4476 g
f 2.5 g 3 , m 1.2 g 3
cm
cm
Find vv if ce 1.86 g 3
cm

Sol:
wf

Wf
Wc

49.4476 47.6504
0.71
50.1817 47.6504

wm 1 w f 1 0.71 0.29

c ct

1
w f wm

f m

1
0.71 0.29

2.5 1.2

vf

c
1.902
wf
0.71 0.54
f
2.5

vm

c
1.902
wm
0.29 0.46
m
1.2

1.902 g

cm 3

ct ce 1.902 1.86

ct
1.902
0.0221 2.21%

vv

Longitudinal Stiffness

For linear fiber and matrix:

Ec E f v f E m vm E L
Generalized equation for composites with n constituents:
n

E c E i vi
i 1

Rule-of-mixture

Longitudinal Strength

c f v f m vm

f v f m 1 v f

Modes of Failure
matrix-controlled failure:

fiber-controlled failure:

cu mu 1 v f 1
cu fu v f m 1 v f
fu

[ fu m ]v f m L 2
fu

cu max cu 1 , cu 2

fu

Critical fiber volume fraction

cu 2 cu 1

For fiber-controlled failure to be valid:

fu m
vf

fu

mu m

fu

fu

fu mu m

v min
fu

For matrix is to be reinforced:

cu mu

fu m
vf

fu

m mu

mu m
fu m

fu

fu

fu

m mu 1 v f

vcrit

Factors influencing EL and cu

mis-orientation of fibers
fibers of non-uniform strength due to
variations in diameter, handling and
surface treatment, fiber length
stress concentration at fiber ends
(discontinuous fibers)
interfacial conditions
residual stresses

Transverse Stiffness, ET
Assume all constituents are in linear elastic range:

vf
1
v

m
E c E f Em
Generalized equation for n constituent composite:

or

n
vi
1

E c i 1 Ei
1
Ec
ET (transverse modulus)
n
vi

i 1 E i

Transverse Strength
Due to stress (strain) concentration

cu mu
Factors influence cu:
properties of fiber and matrix
the interface bond strength
the presence and distribution of voids (flaws)
internal stress and strain distribution (shape of
fiber, arrangement of fibers)

In-plane Shear Modulus

For linearly elastic fiber and matrix:

vf
1
v

m
Gc G f Gm
or Gc GLT

G f Gm
Gm v f G f vm

Major Poissons Ratio

LT f v f m vm

Analysis of Laminated Composites

Classical Laminate Theory (CLT)
Displacement field:

w0
u x , y , z u 0 x, y z
x
w
v x, y , z v 0 x, y z 0
y
w x, y, z w0 x, y

Resultant Forces and Moments

Resultant forces:

N x

h2
N y h
N
2
xy

M x

h2
Resultant moments: M y h

M
2
xy

Aij
k 1

xy
x

xy

x o
o
dz 1 A y

xy

kx

B k y

k xy

hk

hk 1
hk

o
kx
x

z dz 1 B oy D k y

k xy
xy

Qij k dz Qij k hk hk 1
k 1

h2 h2
k 1
Bij
Qij zdz Qij k
k
k

h
2
k 1 k 1
k 1

h3 h3
n h
n

k
2
k 1
Dij Qij z dz Qij k

k
k
h
3
k 1 k 1
k 1

[A]: extensional stiffness matrix

[B]: coupling stiffness matrix
[D]: bending stiffness matrix

Laminates of Special Configurations

Symmetric laminates
Unidirectional (UD) laminates
specially orthotropic
off-axis

Cross-ply laminates
Angle-ply laminates
Quasi-isotropic laminates

Strength of Laminates

Maximum Stress Criterion

Lamina fails if one of the following
inequalities is satisfied:
L
L
T
T

Lt
Lc
Tt
Tc

LT LT

Maximum Strain Criterion

Lamina fails if one of the following
inequalities is satisfied:
L
L
T
T

Lt
Lc
Tt
Tc

LT LT

Tsai Hill Criterion

Lamina fails if the following inequality is
satisfied:
2
2
2
L

Where :

L T T

L
T

LT
LT

Lt if L 0
Lc if L 0

Tt if T 0
T
Tc if T 0

Comparison among Criteria

Maximum stress and strain criteria can tell
the mode of failure
Tsai-Hill criterion includes the interaction
among stress components

Strength of Off-Axis Lamina in Uniaxial Loading

Maximum stress criterion

Tsai-Hill criterion

Strength of a Laminate
First-ply failure
Last-ply failure