Estimation of Strength Properties of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Plastics with Initial Fibre Waviness

The paper compares the strength of fiber-reinforced composites with and without fabrication defects. The influence of the initial waviness of the fibers on the behavior of the material during longitudinal compression is revealed. The samples are modeled using Python and then imported into Simulia Abaqus. The analysis is carried out by means of computational micromechanics using representative volume element (RVE). A two-dimensional deformable RVE with a volumetric fiber content of 50% is modeled. There are no initial stresses in the material. The input data for modeling are the elastoplastic and strength properties of the components, the geometry and the size of the RVE. A mesh in the form of triangular elements was superimposed on the sample. Post-processing includes an assessment of the strength of micromechanical samples with straight and initially wavy fibers. The data obtained can be used in the preparation and implementation of a test program for composite materials and also in understanding of influence of fabrication defects on theirs strength properties.