Modeling of Progressive Failure in Ductile Matrix Composites Including Local Matrix Yielding

Abstract

In this article a theoretical model based upon micromechanical analysis of damage is developed to predict nonlinear stress-strain response and progressive failure of continuous fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMC_f). A micromechanically analytical model using an influence function superimposition technique is developed to derive stress profiles for any configuration of breaks in MMC_f under tensile loading, by considering local matrix tensile yield and interface yield (or sliding). Several hundred Monte Carlo simulations including these failure mechanisms have been executed to simulate failure process and determine statistically the ultimate strength distributions of the composites. Site discretization, material sizes and shape parameter in Weibull distribution are studied to investigate the dependence of ultimate strength on these factors. It is shown that the size dependence of composite ultimate strength is dominated by fiber strength statistics and stress redistribution due to progressive microdamage.

Keywords:

• ductile matrix composites
• Monte Carlo simulation
• size dependence

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the National Science Foundation of China under grant number 10372120, Shanghai Key Academic Discipline Project under project number S30106 and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy and Environment Engineering.