Impact compressive behavior and failure modes of four-step three-dimensional braided composites-based meso-structure model

This paper reports a meso-structure model of 3D-braided composites for the analysis of compressive behaviors and failure modes under quasi-static and high-strain rate compression. An idealized geometrical model of 3D-braided composite, which has the same preform meso-structure with four-step 3D-braided composite is established for finite element analyses of compressive behaviors. The compression stress–strain curves obtained from experimental along the in-plane and out-of-plane directions were used to validate the finite element analyses model. The agreement between the experimental and finite element analyses results proves the validity of the finite element analyses model. It was found that the finite element analyses model provides a way to obtain the locations of stress propagation, the 3D stress state and the progressive failure behavior. The numerical results also showed that the fiber tows in the surface and corner area of braided preform play an important role during both quasi-static and high-strain rate loading.