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Reinforced plastics (Composite)

Lecture No (5)
Analysis of Continuous Fiber Composites -I

(i) Longitudinal Properties

 The greatest improvement in the strength and stiffness of a plastic is
achieved when it is reinforced with uni-directional continuous fibers.
Consider a composite with continuous aligned fibers:

If the modulus of the matrix is Em and moduli of fibers is Ef then the

modulus of the composite E1 determined as follows:
Equilibrium Equation
The applied force on the composite will be shared by the fibers and matrix

Deformation Equation
The strain εis the same in the fibers and matrix and the composite

Stress-Strain Relationships
, ,
Also

So

Then
( ) ( )

Reinforced Plastics (Composite) 15 ‫مهاب صالح الدين شلبي‬.‫د‬

If the fibers have a uniform cross-section, then the area fraction will equal
the volume fraction, so

 This is important relationship known as the Rule of Mixtures.

 It may also be used todetermine the density of a composite,
thePoisson’s Ratio, strength, thermal, conductivity and electrical
conductivity inthe fiber direction.
Example No (1)
The density of a composite made from unidirectional glass fibers in an
epoxy matrix is 1950 kg/m3. If the densities of the glass and epoxy are
known to be 2540 kg/m3 and 1300kg/m3, calculate the weight fraction of
fibers in the composite.
Solution
From the rule of mixtures

Then

Example No (2)
PEEK reinforced with 30% by volume of unidirectional carbon fibers and
the properties of the individual materials are given below.
Material Density(Kg/m3) Tensile Strength(GN/m2) Modulus(GN/m2)
PEEK 1300 0.058 3.8
Carbon Fiber(HM) 1800 2.1 400
Calculate:
1. The density, modulus and strength of the composite in the fiber direction.
2. The fraction of the applied force.
3. The ratio of stresses.
Solution
1) From the rule of mixtures:

Reinforced Plastics (Composite) 16 ‫مهاب صالح الدين شلبي‬.‫د‬

2)From

Similarly the force in the composite is given by

Hence

3) From the rule of mixtures, the stresses are related as follows:

As the strains are the same in the matrix and fibers

Thus,

Reinforced Plastics (Composite) 17 ‫مهاب صالح الدين شلبي‬.‫د‬