Predicting non-linear shear deformation in 3D-fibre reinforced composites

Paper in proceeding, 2019

The strategic use of 3D-fibre reinforced composite materials has shown promising results. Along with weight efficient stiffness and strength, they have shown encouraging energy absorption capabilities. The following work proposes a general framework for modelling the mechanical response of 3D fibre-reinforced composites. The framework decomposes the stress and strain tensors into two main parts; one driven by the behaviour of the fibre reinforcement, the other driven by the non-linear matrix response under off-axis loading. The non-linear response specifically is introduced into the model using viscoelastic slip planes, in an analogous way to that of a crystal plasticity model. A prototype model is analysed in order to illustrate the capabilities of the proposed framework.