Prediction of transverse mechanical performance of UD CFRP composite lamina considering high-temperature properties of epoxy

A comprehensive computational micromechanics has been presented to predict the transverse mechanical properties and failure envelop of bi-axial stress in a 22-33 plane at high temperatures. First, a paraboloidal elasto-plastic damage model considering the temperature effect of epoxy has been employed. Then, in order to rapidly create the random fiber distribution of the representative volume element (RVE), a simple and effective algorithm of fiber placement and an auto modeling and calculating python script have been developed, where the thickness size effect of RVEs has been discussed. Finally, the transverse tension/compression and out-of-plane shear properties and the corresponding failure envelop of RVEs are analyzed systematically by means of finite element simulations. The results show that the in-plane shear strength exists strongly thickness size effect, and high temperature can significantly weaken the transverse strength, especially for transverse compression, and the temperature effect of modulus can be depicted by a specific Gaussian function. In addition, Hashin and Tsai-wu criteria may be more appropriate to predict the bi-axial failure envelop of sigma(2)2 - tau(23) at high temperature, and Tsai-Wu criterion is better and more suitable than Hashin and Catalanotti criteria for considering bi-axial compression.