Prediction of elastic properties of 2D orthogonal plain weave fabric composites

Abstract

A two dimensional analytical method has been developed for the prediction of elastic properties of 2D orthogonal plain weave fabric laminae. Strand undulation and continuity in the in warp and fill directions, actual strand cross-section and weave geometry, strand fiber volume fraction and possible gap between two adjacent strands have been considered in the analysis. The elastic properties of WF lamina are determined with assumption that classical laminate theory is applicable in the unit cell and the bending deformations of one unit cell are constrained by the adjacent unit cell in case plain weave fabric lamina. Here two material system T-300 carbon/epoxy and E-glass/epoxy were taken for investigation of elastic properties i.e. young modulus, Shear modulus, and Poisson ratio. MATLAB tool has been used for the purpose. Here Slice array model (SAM) has been taken for analysis and two paths (sinusoidal and circular) have been taken for determination of total compliance constant by averaging the local compliance constant. Effect of woven fabric geometrical parameters on the elastic properties of the laminae has been investigated. Good correlation is observed between the predicted elastic properties from MATLAB program and experimental results have been taken from previous literature.