Performance Comparison of Analytical and Numerical Methods of Elastic Properties of Composite Micromechanics

Abstract

Because of the anisotropic nature of composite materials, they can show different material properties in different directions. Therefore, it is decisive to determine the mechanical properties of composites. In this study, performance comparison of analytical methods and numerical methods are investigated. The most well-known analytical method, the strength of the material method, and the relatively more complex and widely used Chamis’ equations and Tsai-Halpin equations were selected. Numerically, the finite element-based representative volume element (RVE) homogenization method without periodic boundary conditions is chosen. As a result, the modulus of elasticity in the fiber direction and the major Poisson’s ratio values are similar for all methods. Tsai-Halpin method and RVE Homogenization method can predict the transverse elasticity value close to each other, Chamis’ equations also provide results relatively close to these results, but the results obtained from the strength of material approaches are not acceptable. From the study, it was revealed every method can be used to identify modulus of elasticity in fiber direction and major Poisson’s ratio but modulus of elasticity in the transverse direction and shear modulus can be calculated in other methods.