Fibre break processes in unidirectional composites

International audience; A model to predict the effects of the accumulation of fibre breakages in unidirectional carbon fibre composites has been developed that takes into account several physical phenomena controlling fibre failure, including the stochastic nature of fibre strength, stress transfer between fibres due to the shear of the matrix, interfacial debonding and viscosity of the matrix. The damage processes leading up to failure are discussed and quantified, first in terms of fibre breaks for the case of monotonically increasing tensile loading, then for sustained loading and finally the implications for more complex loads and structures are discussed. It is clearly shown that the f…

The application of a reduced volume method for the simulation of the characterisation of a carbon fibre pressure vessel

International audience; The characteristics of advanced composite materials make them ideally suited for use in pressure vessels for storing gas as fuel for ground transport vehicles. It has been found that the failure process starts with randomly distributed fibre breaks and as the loading continues, they coalesce into clusters of fibre breaks which lead to failure [4]. However, improvements are needed to reduce computational times when performing full-scale simulations. The reduced volume method is therefore applied to the stochastic fibre break model related to the concept of an integral range. This method allows the calculation for a certain volume of a laminate that statistically repre…

Micromechanics, damage and life prediction of carbon fibre composite pressure vessels

31 mai-3 juin 2004; International audience; A study by 3D finite element analysis has revealed the changes in the stress field around broken fibres in cfrp by considering the evolution of representative elementary volumes of the composite for both elastic and viscoelastic matrices and the effects of debonding. The viscoelastic behaviour of the matrix does not change the mechanism of load transfer but introduces time as a parameter. At a constant load, the relaxation of the matrix increases the coefficients of load transfer around broken fibres and causes new failures of fibres. This analysis relates the acoustic emission detected during steady loading to fibre failures. In this way a model …

Benchmarking of strength models for unidirectional composites under longitudinal tension

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Several modelling approaches are available in the literature to predict longitudinal tensile failure of fibre-reinforced polymers. However, a systematic, blind and unbiased comparison between the predictions from the different models and against experimental data has never been performed. This paper presents a benchmarking exercise performed for three different models from the literature: (i) an analytical hierarchical scaling law for composite fibre bundles, (ii) direct numerical simulations of composite fibre bundles, and (iii) a multiscale finite-element simulation method. The results show that there are significant discrepancies between the predictions of the differe…

Micromechanisms of load transfer in a unidirectional carbon fibre–reinforced epoxy composite due to fibre failures. Part 1: Micromechanisms and 3D analysis of load transfer: The elastic case

This study gives a detailed analysis of load distributions around fibre breaks in a composite and the mechanisms involved in load transfer. In contrast to other studies reported in the literature the analysis considers different configurations of composite damage from the failure of a few fibres to the failure of many. The model considers the elastic case with and without debonding at the broken fibre/matrix interface. In this way, the usual limitations of the finite element approach are overcome so as to take into account the numbers and interactions of broken fibres whilst maintaining an evaluation of the various fields involved, in particular the stress fields associated with fibre failu…

Three-dimensional analysis of load transfer micro-mechanisms in fibre/matrix composites

International audience; This study gives a detailed analysis of load distributions around fibre breaks in a composite. In contrast to other studies reported in the literature, the analysis considers different configurations of composite damage from the failure of a few to the failure of many fibres. The model considers three types of matrix behaviours (elastic, elastic–plastic and viscoelastic) with or without debonding at the broken fibre/matrix interface. In this way, the usual limitations of the finite element approach are overcome so as to take into account the number and interactions of broken fibres whilst maintaining an evaluation of the various fields (stresses in particular).

Effect of the Time Dependent Loading of Type IV Cylinders using a Multiscale Model

International audience; The current requirements for composite cylinders are still based on an arbitrary approach derived from the behaviour of metal structures, that the designed burst pressure should be at least 2.5 times the maximum in-service pressure [1]. This could lead to an over-designed composite cylinder for which the weight saving would be less than optimum. Moreover, predicting the lifetime of composite cylinders is a challenging task due to their anisotropic characteristics. A federal research institute in Germany (BAM) has proposed a minimum load-cycle requirement that mitigates this issue by using a Monte-Carlo analysis of the burst test results [2-3]. To enrich this study, m…

Proof testing and lifetime reliability of carbon fibre reinforced composite pressure vessels

International audience

Modelling an Improved NOL Ring Test Using a Reduced Volume Method for the Characterisation of Composite Cylinders

International audience

Effect of the loading rate on ultimate strength of composites. Application: Pressure vessel slow burst test

International audience; The strength of unidirectional elastic fibre composites is shown to depend on the loading rate as the viscoelastic nature of the matrix results in a fall in breaking load as the rate is reduced. The simulation of the accumulation of fibre breaks leading to failure, takes into account all physical phenomena involved fibre failure, including the stochastic nature of fibre strength, stress transfer through the matrix between reinforcements, interfacial debonding and the viscoelastic nature of the matrix. The kinetics of composite failure are seen to involve the initial formation of random fibre breaks which at higher loads coalesce into clusters of broken fibres. The ra…

The control of the residual lifetimes of carbon fibre-reinforced composite pressure vessels

International audience; The understanding of the degradation of carbon fibre composites, with emphasis on the use of these composites in filament-wound pressure vessels, is explored. Earlier studies by many researchers have led to a general appreciation of the mechanisms involved; however, only recently have both computational power and experimental techniques become sufficiently developed to allow for the use of quantitative analyses. It is shown that damage is controlled by fibre failure, and that initially this occurs randomly within the structure. In monotonic loading, the development of clusters of fibre breaks causes rapid failure; however, under maintained loads the kinetics of damag…

Détection et discrimination par émission acoustique des endommagements dans les composites. Comparaison expérience / modélisation

International audience; On présente dans cette étude la discrimination des phénomènes de ruptures de fibre, de microfissuration intralaminaire, de macrofissuration intralaminaire ainsi que du microdélaminage au sein des composites stratifiés d'unidirectionnels orientés, dans le cadre d'une méthode de détection des endommagements basée sur la technique de l'Emission Acoustique. Ces résultats expérimentaux sont confrontés aux prévisions issues d'un modèle de comportement de matériaux composites unidirectionnels, basés sur la physique des phénomènes à l'échelle des constituants.

7.22 Health Monitoring of High Performance Composite Pressure Vessels

The most important form of damage in carbon fiber reinforced composite pressure vessels is the failure of the fibers however the rate of fiber failure is controlled by the viscoelastic nature of the matrix, which determines overall in-service lifetimes. This type of damage is very different from that encountered with metal pressure vessels and requires a detailed understanding in order to ensure reliability. Innovative proof testing methods based on these processes are necessary. The damage processes and the means of quantifying them are discussed. Their reliability under pressure over periods of decades is analyzed. Intrinsic safety factors linked directly to the properties of the composit…

Quantifiable analysis of the failure of advanced carbon fibre composite structures leading to improved safety factors

Abstract The increasing use of advanced composite materials means that they must now be considered as major materials for a wide variety of structures some of which will be in service for decades. There is therefore an important need to be able to quantify damage accumulation leading to failure in these materials particularly as they are often used in extreme situations for which failure must be avoided. This review shows how damage accumulation in many major composite structures is dominated by fibre failure but that the viscoelastic nature of the matrix induces time effects including delayed failure. It is shown that damage accumulation can be quantitatively modelled using a multi-scale a…

Prédiction de la contrainte de rupture de composites unidirectionnels et suivi de l'accumulation de ruptures de fibres

Micromechanisms of load transfer in a unidirectional carbon fibre–reinforced epoxy composite due to fibre failures. Part 2: Influence of viscoelastic and plastic matrices on the mechanisms of load transfer

A local three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA), of the mechanisms governing composite damage (in the region around a fibre break), has been carried out. The model considers viscoelastic and plastic matrix behaviours with and without debonding at the broken fibre/matrix interface. The finite element analysis has shown that even a simple viscoelastic law describing the behaviour of the epoxy resin leads to an increasing load on the neighbouring intact fibres, as a function of time. The plastic behaviour of the matrix has been shown to have consequences on reloading after unloading. In contrast to other studies reported in the literature, the calculations were carried out on diff…

Health monitoring of high performance composite pressure vessels,

International audience; The most important form of damage in carbon fiber reinforced composite pressure vessels is the failure of the fibers however the rate of fiber failure is controlled by the viscoelastic nature of the matrix, which determines overall in-service lifetimes. This type of damage is very different from that encountered with metal pressure vessels and requires a detailed understanding in order to ensure reliability. Innovative proof testing methods based on these processes are necessary. The damage processes and the means of quantifying them are discussed. Their reliability under pressure over periods of decades is analyzed. Intrinsic safety factors linked directly to the pr…

Visual indicator for the detection of end-of-life criterion for composite high pressure vessels for hydrogen storage

International audience; A model to predict the accumulation of fibre breaks in advanced composites, that takes into account all physical phenomena implicated in fibre failure (i.e. the random nature, stress transfer due to breaks, fibre debonding and viscosity of the matrix) shows clearly that the failure of a unidirectional composite structure results in the formation of random fibre breaks which at higher loads coalesce into clusters of broken fibres. This stage of development is followed almost immediately by failure. This has direct application to filament wound pressure vessels of the type used to store hydrogen under high pressure. A novel, cost effective, method of revealing developi…

Micromechanisms of load transfer in a unidirectional carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy composite due to fibre failures: Part 3. Multiscale reconstruction of composite behaviour

International audience; This third article describes a multiscale process which takes into account the most important microscopic phenomena associated with composite degradation, including fibre fractures and interfacial debonding, overloading of fibres neighbouring a fibre break as well as viscoelastic behaviour of the matrix. The results have been used to accurately predict the macroscopic failure of unidirectional carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy and quantify damage accumulation in pressure vessels made of the same material. The approach described has allowed the acoustic emission activity resulting from fibres breaks to be evaluated and shown how the residual lifetimes of such vessels, whe…

Analytical and finite element analyses on reliability of carbon fibre reinforced plastics

International audience

Détection et discrimination par émission acoustique des endommagements dans les composites stratifiés d'unidirectionnels ; rupture de fibre, macro et micro fissuration intralaminaire, microdélaminage. Comparaison expérience/modélisation

National audience; On présente dans cette étude la discrimination des phénomènes de ruptures de fibre, de microfissuration intralaminaire, de macrofissuration intralaminaire ainsi que du microdélaminage au sein des composites stratifiés d'unidirectionnels orientés, dans le cadre d'une méthode de détection des endommagements basée sur la technique de l'Emission Acoustique. Ces résultats expérimentaux sont confrontés aux prévisions issues d'un modèle de comportement de matériaux composites unidirectionnels, basés sur la physique des phénomènes à l'échelle des constituants. Plus précisément, ce modèle prend notamment en compte : le caractère aléatoire des ruptures de fibres, les transfert de c…

A methodology for the control of the residual lifetimes of carbon fibre reinforced composite pressure vessels

International audience; Pressure vessels must be periodically proof tested. Traditional techniques for metal vessels are inapplicable for composite vessels as the latter do not break by crack propagation so that the reasoning behind the traditional testing procedures is not appropriate. Damage accumulation leading to the degradation of a composite vessel is by fibre failure. Fibres show a wide distribution in strengths and loading a composite inevitably breaks some. The method which has been developed is supported by an analysis of delayed fibre failure due to the relaxation of the resin around fibre breaks. This provokes overloading of intact fibres neighbouring breaks. The time until a cr…

A simplified FE2 model of fibre failure and its consequences applied to the design of composite pressure vessels

International audience

Intrinsic mechanisms limiting the use of carbon fiber composite pressure vessels

International audience; The viscoelastic properties of the resins used in carbon fiber composite pressure vessels introduce time effects which allow damage processes to develop during use under load. A detailed understanding of these processes has been achieved through both experimental and theoretical studies on flat unidirectional specimens and with comparisons with the behavior of pressure vessels. Under steady pressures, the relaxation of the resin in the vicinity of earlier fiber breaks gradually increases the sustained stress in neighboring intact fibers and some eventually break. The rate of fiber failure has been modeled based only on physical criteria and shown to accurately predic…

Damage accumulation in a carbon/epoxy composite : Comparison between a multiscale model and computed tomography experimental results

International audience; High-resolution computed tomography has been carried out for carbon/epoxy laminates loaded in situ to failure. The experimental data allows major damage mechanisms to be quantified in 3D, in an unambiguous and mechanically representative way, where previous experimental analysis is limited. A multi-scale model that predicts damage accumulation in tensile loaded composites is compared to the experimental analysis, to validate the underpinning assumptions within the model and overall performance. The model considers the random nature of fibre-strengths, stress transfer resulting from fibre breaks, fibre/matrix debonding and viscosity of the matrix. Assumptions within t…

Indicateur visuel de l'état de fin de vie d'un réservoir composite

National audience

Damage accumulation and life prediction in carbon fibre composite pressure vessels

Composites and nanostructures

Determination of lifetime probabilities of carbon fibre composite plates and pressure vessels for hydrogen storage

International audience; It is shown that an analogy can be made between the failure of unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced epoxy plates and filament wound carbon fibre composite pressure vessels and that their strengths and failure probabilities can be determined. Fibres in filament wound composite structures are placed on geodesic paths around the mandrel, which becomes the liner; so that when the structure is pressurised the fibres are only subjected to tensile forces, as in a unidirectional composite. Multiscale modelling reveals that composite failure is controlled by fibre breakage and that clustering of fibre breaks determines ultimate reliability of the structure. Time dependent r…