On Building Blocks for Virtual Testing of Unidirectional Polymeric Composites

This research summarizes the characterization of the constituent materials of a unidirectional composite for use in a finite element model. Specifically the T800s-F3900 composite from Toray Composites, Seattle, WA. Testing was carried out on cured polymer matrix provided by the manufacturer and single fiber specimen. The material model chosen for the polymer matrix was MAT 187 (Semi-Analytical Model for Polymers) which allowed for input of the tension, compression, and shear load responses.

The matrix was tested in tension, compression, and shear and was assumed to be isotropic. Ultimate strengths of the matrix were found to be 10 580 psi in tension, 25 900 psi in compression, and 5 940 in shear. The material properties calculated suggest the resin as being an isotropic material with the moduli in tension and compression being approximately equal (3% difference between the experimental values) and the shear modulus following typical isotropic relations. Single fiber properties were obtained for the T800s fiber in tension only with the modulus being approximately 40 500 ksi and the peak stress value being approximately 309 ksi.

The material model predicts the behavior of the multi-element testing simulations in both deformation and failure in the direction of loading.