Microscale material variability and its effect on longitudinal tensile failure of unidirectional carbon fibre composites

This paper deals with modelling the effect of local fibre volume fraction variability, misalignment and strength variability on longitudinal tensile unidirectional plies finite element analysis. Variability is accounted for by generating spatially-correlated fields fraction. information then translated into mechanical properties orientations in models ply, which are virtually tested tension. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to evaluate different sources material i.e. strength, misalignment. Ply predictions lowered when including modelling, showing a better agreement experiments carbon/epoxy system investigated.