Estimating engineering constants of a selected model of textile composite

Abstract

This study deals with the development of a simple geometric model of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) composite. The composite uses an epoxy resin as the matrix, and one layer of a plane wave E-glass fabric as the reinforcement. Using theoretical considerations (based on this model), it is feasible to calculate engineering constants useful for stress analysis. The work consists of developing constitutive model of specific textile composite material (plain weave). There is a numerical constitutive model which approximates the mechanical behavior at the local scale. The method of calculation presented in this study can be applied to other models of FRP composites with other woven fabric geometries, such as Pierce’s model of plane wave, Pierce’s elliptic model, Kemp model with race track cross-section, and Hearle’s model.