Strength of Molded Discontinuous Fiber Composites.

Abstract : The strength of randomly oriented short fiber composites will be modeled by a quasi- isotropic laminate. Lamination theory and a failure criterion will be used to approximate the stress strain response of a FRP/epoxy composite as it is loaded to failure. Experimental data are presented in light of the failure tensor and maximum strain failure criteria. An invariant method of determining the interaction term of the failure tensor is investigated and evaluated with respect to experimental data. The laminate analogy for strength is also applied to a flow molded or extruded short fiber composite with a known fiber orientation distribution. (Author-PL)