Fibrous assemblies: modeling/computer simulation of compressional behaviour

We develop a model to relate the mechanical properties of individual fibers and how they are arranged in a fibrous assembly to the bulk properties of the fibrous assembly. The model allows the prediction of the bulk properties of the fibrous assembly during compression from the physical properties of its component individual fibers, considering both static and kinetic friction at contacts between fibers. Computer simulations are run for several cases with specific friction conditions applied in order to compare predictions of this model with experimental results and with van Wyk's theory of the uniaxial compression of an initially random fibrous assembly. These computer simulations demonstrate a reasonable ability to predict the undetermined constant K in van Wyk's theory. The computer simulations also show a significantly greater number of fiber‐fiber contacts being formed than theories based only on the diameter and arrangement of fibers have predicted. The predicted contacts have a wide range of contact forces, while only a small percentage of them do not slip. The model may be used to investigate phenomena associated with the compression of fibrous assemblies, such as fiber crimp, hysteresis, and orientation effects.