Local strain in a 5-harness satin weave composite under static tension: Part II – Meso-FE analysis

Abstract This paper presents the local strain analysis in a thermo-plastic 5-harness satin weave composite under uni-axial static tensile load using meso-FE simulations. In order to predict the local strain profiles as observed in the experiments (Part I) at various locations of the composite, different unit cell stacking models with appropriate boundary conditions are used for the FE analysis. Apart from the calculation of local strain values at different locations (inside/traction free surface) of the composite laminate, the aim of the numerical simulations is to understand the ‘shadowing’ effects of the internal ply shifting on the surface strain behavior of a 5-harness satin weave composite. Comparison of the experimental local strain values (Part I) at various locations of the satin weave composite reveals that the effects of local yarn constraints are negligible on the local longitudinal strain behavior of the composite. However, local stress–strain profiles obtained from unit cell meso-FE simulations indicate that the longitudinal strain and the transverse stress distribution in the weft yarn at the yarn crimp location is sensitive to the unit cell stacking as well as to the applied boundary conditions to the unit cell.