Study of matrix crack-tilted fiber bundle interaction using caustics and finite element method

In this work, the interaction between the matrix crack and a tilted fiber bundle was investigated via caustics and the finite element method (FEM). First, the caustic patterns at the crack tip with different distances from the tilted fiber were obtained and the stress intensity factors were extracted from the geometry of the caustic patterns. Subsequently, the shielding effect of the fiber bundle in front of the crack tip was analyzed. Furthermore, the interaction between the matrix crack and the broken fiber bundle was discussed. Finally, a finite element simulation was carried out using ABAQUS to verify the experimental results. The results demonstrate that the stress intensity factors extracted from caustic experiments are in excellent agreement with the data calculated by FEM. (C) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC.