Progressive damage modelling and experimental investigation of three-dimensional orthogonal woven composites with tilted binder

This paper investigates the tensile properties of 3D orthogonal woven carbon fiber composites with tilted binder by experiment and simulation. The tensile failure strain and fracture mode of this composite show distinguished discrepancy with idealized 3D orthogonal woven composites experimentally. In order to explain this specific failure mechanism, a unit cell finite element model incorporated with damage models of constituents is established to reproduce the damage initiation and propagation of 3D orthogonal woven composites with tilted binder during tensile test. A three-dimensional failure criterion based on Hashin's criterion and Pinho's criterion is utilized to describe the progressive damage of yarns, while the non-linear behavior of the matrix is predicted by Drucker-Prager yield criterion. Besides, a traction-separation law is applied to predict the damage of yarn-matrix interface. The proposed unit cell model is correlated and validated by global stress–strain curves, DIC full-field strain distributions and modulus history curve. The damage evolution process of 3D orthogonal woven carbon fiber composites with tilted binder, including fiber tow failure, matrix cracking, and interfacial debonding, is recorded and investigated by the modulus history curve from simulation.