Stress Distributions in Damaged Composites

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Abstract
Any micromechanical theory for damage accumulation and ultimate failure in composites must depend on a knowledge of the detailed stress distribution in the damaged state. Lack of this knowledge has been a major roadblock to progress in this field. A shear lag approach to this problem has been proposed by Hedgepeth and Van Dyke for unidirectionally reinforced composites, but it is of limited utility because it contains an unknown parameter. This paper discusses an experimental technique for finding stress distributions in damaged composites with the aid of an electric analogue. In this approach, a current is passed through a model employing conducting rods to represent fibers and a liquid electrolyte to represent the matrix. The potential distribution in the model is analogous to the longitudinal displacement distribution in the composite, and transverse currents are analogous to shear forces. The analogue is employed in the paper to evaluate the unknown parameter in the Hedgepeth and Van Dyke equation.

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