Factors Affecting the Transverse Tensile Strength of Unidirectional Continuous Silicon Carbide Fibre Reinforced 6061 Aluminum

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Abstract
A study of the micromechanics of continuous silicon carbide fibre rein forced 6061 aluminum has been carried out using generalised plane strain non-linear finite element analysis. An interface element has been developed enabling separate shear and tensile strengths to be assigned, with a quadratic interaction equation. Residual stresses due to manufacturing were included in the analysis. The effect on transverse tensile strength of fibre packing geometry, fibre spacing, resid ual stresses, interface strengths and matrix material properties were investigated. It was found that the interface strength is the most important factor. Residual stresses are beneficial, these being largely controlled by the yield strength of the matrix material at the time the residual stresses are set up. Fibre packing and spacing and matrix strength do not significantly affect predicted strength.