Axis system

 In the discipline of composite materials, a new coordinate system is

adopted. The subscript 1 is used to indicate fiber direction while the
subscript 2 is used to indicate the transverse direction or
perpendicular to fiber direction.

 This new coordinate system is called Principal Material Axis or on-

axis or local axis.

 The conventional axis system x-y is called global axis or off-axis.

2
y x

1 1-2: principal material axis

x-y: global axis

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 Elastic Constant
 For an isotropic material, there are three independent elastic
constants. These are:
(a) Young’s modulus (E)
(b) Shear modulus of rigidity (G)
(c) Poisson’s ratio ()

 A composite lamina is anisotropic in nature. For this material, there

are five independent elastic constants. These are
(a) Longitudinal Young’s modulus (E1)
(b) Transverse Young’s modulus (E2)
(c) Major Poisson’s ratio (12)
(d) Minor Poisson’s ratio (21)
(e) In-plane shear modulus (G12)
 Elastic Modulus of Unidirectional Composites
Mechanics of Material Approach
Elasticity Approach
Elastic Modulus in Longitudinal
Direction: E1
Fig. 1 Representative volume element loaded in
the 1-direction.
As shown in Fig. 1, we consider a representative volume element
(RVE) of a unidirectional composite lamina loaded in the 1-
direction.
Assumptions: According to the Mechanics of Material Approach, we make the
following assumptions
 Perfect boding between fibers and matrix.
 Strains in the fiber direction of unidirectional fiber
composites are the same in the fibers and the matrix.
 Both the fiber and matrix behave elastically.
 Fibers are parallel.
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 Elastic Modulus in Longitudinal Direction: E1
Since strains are the same in the matrix and fibers, we can write
L
1    f  m (1)
L

 Since both fibers and matrix are elastic, the stresses can be given by
 E  E 
f f f f 1
(2a)
 E  E 
m m m m 1
(2b)
 Now the total (resultant) force applied on the composite will be shared
by fibers and matrix. Thus,
Pc  Pf  Pm 1 f 
  Vf  Vm m
 A1 1  A f  f  Am m 1 f m

 1 
Af A
 f  m m
(3)  E1  E f V f  EmVm 4(a)
A1 A1
  1  V f  f  Vm m
 E1  E f V f  (1  V f ) Em 4(b)
1  
  V f f  Vm m  V f  Vm  1 ; if there is no voids
1 1 1
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 Elastic Modulus in Longitudinal Direction: E1
 Equation (4) is called the rule of mixture expression for the apparent
Young’s modulus in the direction of fibers. This is also called effective
Young’s modulus. The rule of mixture represents a simple linear
variation of the apparent young’s modulus E1 from Em to Ef as Vf
goes from 0 to 1.

Ef

E1

E1  V f E f  (1  V f ) E m
Em

0 1
Vf
Fig. 2 variation of E1 with fiber volume fraction.
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 Elastic Modulus in Longitudinal Direction: E1
 The fraction of load carried by fibers in a unidirectional continuous
fiber lamina is
Pf Af  f Vf  f Vf  f

Fiber to composite load ratio, Pf /Pc

  
Pc Ac 1 1 V f  f  Vm m

Pf Vf  f V f  f / 1
 
Pc V f  f  (1  V f ) m {V f  f  (1  V f ) m } / 1

Pf E f Vf

Pc E f V f  (1  V f ) Em
f 
(since  1   f   m and  E f ; m  Em )
f m
Fiber to matrix modulus, Ef /Em
Pf E f V f / Em
 Fig. 3 Fraction of load of composite carried by fibers as
Pc Ef (5) a function of fiber volume fraction for a constant fiber
V f  (1  V f )
Em to matrix moduli ratio.

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 Elastic Modulus in Longitudinal Direction: E1

 The figure shows the fraction of load carried by the fibers as a

function of the ratio Ef/Em and fiber volume fraction.

 In polymeric matrix composites, Ef/Em > 10. Thus, even for

Vf=0.2, fibers carry more than 70% of the composite load.

 The fiber load fraction can be increased by increasing the fiber

volume fraction, which in turn increases the composite load.

 Cylindrical fibers can be theoretically packed to almost 90%

volume fraction. However, the practical limit is close to
approximately 80% . Over this limit, the matrix will not be able
to wet the fibers.

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 Elastic Modulus in Transverse Direction: E2

Fig. 4 RVE loaded in the 2-direction.

 We consider a RVE as shown in Fig. 4. It is loaded in the 2-

direction. Let
 W = total width of the composite lamina in the 2-direction
 Wf = Approximate transverse dimension of fiber
 Wm = Approximate transverse dimension of matrix
For a given composite X-sectional area, the volume fractions of fiber
and matrix can be given by
Wf Wm
Vf  , Vm   W f  V f W , Wm  VmW (1)
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 Elastic Modulus in Transverse Direction: E2
 In the mechanics of material approach, the same transverse stress, 2 , is
assumed to be applied to both the fiber and the matrix. Thus,
2  f m (2)
Total transverse deformation
W W f Wm
W  W f  Wm    1 V f Vm
W W W   (3)
W f W f Wm Wm E2 E f Em
 2  
Wf W Wm W
  2   f V f  Vm m Ef
E1
E
2 f m
  Vf  Vm E2
E2 Ef Em Em
Fig. 5 E vs. Vf.
2 2 2
  Vf  Vm 0
E2 Ef Em Vf 1.0
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 Elastic Modulus in Transverse Direction: E2

Eq. (3) can be written as

E2 E f / Em
 (4)
Em Ef
V f  (1  V f )
Em

Eq. (4) can be plotted as shown

in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 Transverse Young’s modulus as a
function of fiber volume fraction for constant
fiber to matrix moduli ratio.

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 Major Poisson’s Ration: 12
 The major Poisson’s ratio is defined as the negative of the ratio of
the normal strain in the transverse direction to the normal strain in
the longitudinal direction, when a normal load is applied in the
longitudinal direction.

Fig. 7 RVE loaded the 1-direction.

Assumption:
 1   f 1   m1 (1)
For a given X-sectional area ,volume fractions of fiber and matrix
are given by Wf W
Vf  ,Vm  m  W f  WV f ,Wm  WVm (2)
W W
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 Major Poisson’s Ration: 12
 The so-called major Poisson’s ratio is defined as
2
 12   (3)
1
for the stress state  1   and all other stresses are zero.
 Now strain in the transverse direction is
W
2   (4)
W
 Combination of Eqs. (3)and (4) yields
W  W 12 1(5)
 Again total deformation in the transverse direction is the sum of
the deformations in matrix and fiber. Thus,
W  W f  Wm (6)
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 Major Poisson’s Ration: 12
 Further,
W f Wm (7)
f2   ,  m2  
Wf Wm
 Again,
f2  f2 
 f   , m   m 2  f   , m   m 2 (8)
 f1  m1 1 1
From Eqs. (7) and (8)
W 12 1  WV f f  1  WVm m 1
W f  W f f  1 , Wm  Wm m 1 (by eq. (5))

 W f  WV f  f 1 , Wm  WVm m1 Thus,

(9)
 12  v f V f  vmVm (10)
By Eqs. (6) and (9)

W  WV f f  1  WVm m 1
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 Major Poisson’s Ration: 12

f

12

m
0 Vf 1
Fig. 8 Variation of Poisson’s ratio as a function of fiber volume fraction.

 Because the Poisson’s ratios m and f are not significantly

different from each other, the composite material major Poisson’s
ratio is neutral, i.e., neither matrix-dominated nor fiber-dominated.

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