Micromechanical modeling of composites reinforced with shot fibers
Micromechanical modeling; Effective elastic properties; Short fiber composites
This work has as main objective the mechanical modeling of composites reinforced by short fibers, using models based on the mean-field micromechanics theory. The following micromechanical models will be utilized in the analyses: Dilute, Mori-Tanaka, Self-Consistent e Differential Scheme. The composites will be constituted by phases with linear elastic behaviors. The fibers can be aligned or randomly distributed into the matrix. The effects of the fiber orientation will be considered using a statistical procedure together with the aggregate decomposition method. The possibility of including effects due to interphase regions located between the fibers and matrix will be investigated. The models will be applied to predict the effective elastic properties of composites with polymer and cementitious matrices reinforced by synthetic and natural fibers. For evaluating the influences of microstructural factors on the macroscopic behavior of the composites, the study will develop parametric analyses involving phase volume fractions, aspect ratios of the fibers and contrast of the elastic properties of the constituent materials. The performance of the models will be evaluated through comparisons of their results with predictions of other theoretical procedures and, when possible, with experimental data available in the literature.