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This paper presents the development of novel Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates, tailored for the application of Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) and Computed Tomography (CT) to experimental mechanics analyses of these materials. Analogous to surface-based Digital Image Correlation (DIC), DVC is a relatively novel volumetric method that utilizes CT data to quantify internal three-dimensional (3D) displacements and implicit strain fields. The highly anisotropic and somewhat regular/self-similar microstructures found in well-aligned unidirectional (UD) materials at high fibre volume fractions are intrinsically challenging for DVC, especially along the fibre direction at microstructural length-scales on the order of a few fibre diameters. To permit the application of DVC to displacement and/or strain measurements parallel to the fibre orientation, the matrix was doped with a sparse population of sub-micrometre particles to act as displacement trackers (i.e. fiducial markers). Barium titanate particles (400 nm, ∼1.44 vol. %) were found to offer the most favourable compromise between contrast in CT images and the ability to obtain a homogeneous distribution in 3D space with sufficient particle compactness for local DVC analyses. This property combination was selected following an extensive Micro-focus Computed Tomography (µCT)-based qualitative assessment on a wide test matrix, that included 38 materials manufactured with a range of possible particle compositions, mean sizes and concentrations. By comparing the tensile behaviour of the particle-adapted material alongside its particle-free counterpart, we demonstrate through the application of in situ Synchrotron Radiation Computed Tomography (SRCT) that the macro- and micromechanical responses of the newly developed CFRP are consistent with standard production materials indicating its suitability as a model system for mechanistic investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inequality indices (Hirsch and Kolkata) are used in social science and scientometrics. Previously, they were shown to have useful applications in statistical physics of criticality in a Fiber Bundle Model (FBM) with an Equal Load Sharing (ELS). The indices offer potentially useful techniques for predicting the imminent failure of the bundle. In this paper, the same indices are calculated for the case of an Impregnated Fiber Bundle Model (IFBM) with physically based load redistributions around fiber breaks based on finite element model stress fields. It is shown that the behavior of the Hirsch and Kolkata indices in this case are similar to the behavior in the FBM with ELS, including similar critical values for the final failure of the bundle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal tensile failure of unidirectional fibre-reinforced composites remains difficult to predict accurately. The key underlying mechanism is the tensile failure of individual fibres. This paper objectively measured the relevant input data and performed a detailed experimental validation of blind predictions of six state-of-the-art models using high-resolution in-situ synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SRCT) measurements on two carbon fibre/epoxy composites. Models without major conservative assumptions regarding stress redistributions around fibre breaks significantly overpredicted failure strains and strengths, but predictions of models with at least one such assumption were in better agreement for those properties. Moreover, all models failed to predict fibre break (and cluster) development accurately, suggesting that it is vital to improve experimental methods to characterise accurately the in-situ strength distribution of fibres within the composites. As a result of detailed measurements of all required input parameters and advanced SRCT experiments, this paper establishes a benchmark for future research on longitudinal tensile failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many models for prediction of longitudinal tensile failure of unidirectional (UD) composites have been developed in the last decades. These models require significant assumptions and simplifications, but their consequences for the predictions are often not clearly understood. This paper therefore presents a blind benchmark of seven different models applied to two virtual materials. Reliably capturing the localisation of stress concentrations was vital in predicting the effect of matrix stiffness and strength on composite failure strain and strength as well as fibre break and cluster development. Although the models have different assumptions regarding stress redistributions around fibre breaks, the 2-plet (clusters of two fibre breaks) development was similar. Distance-based criteria were shown to be inadequate for monitoring cluster development. The discussions provide detailed insight into how the model assumptions are linked to the differences in the predictions. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiscale models for fibre-reinforced polymer composites currently lack experimentally validated microscale damage descriptors as input parameters. This work demonstrates the occurrence of strain localisation phenomena at the fibre/matrix level using nanoscale digital image correlation. Unidirectional carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy and glass-fibre reinforced PMMA composites were loaded in transverse compression in a scanning electron microscope. Radial and shear strain maps were extracted and compared with finite element simulations based on a conventional elastoplastic model. Near the interface, an interphase layer is present in the matrix, presumably due to locally different polymerisation conditions. A skin-core structure was found in carbon fibres, corresponding to an increased transverse modulus towards the interface. [Display omitted] • Measurement and simulation of radial strain fields in fibre-reinforced polymers. • Quantitative width measurement of the skin-core structure in carbon fibres. • Fibre/matrix interphase-like response partly due to thermal residual stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]