Fiber cross-section shape effect on rate-dependent behavior of polymer matrix composites with FBGs sensors

The micromechanical investigation of fiber cross-section shape effect on the rate sensitive nonlinear behavior of a glass/epoxy was performed at 10^-5/s and 1/s, which considering four shapes, square, cross, circle and ellipse. With the strain of different rate loadings measured by Fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) sensors, the rate-dependent inelastic constitutive relationship of epoxy is built by using an internal state variables viscoplasticity model. Then, through homogenizing the properties of unit cells, the responses of resin and its composites at 30° and 60° off-axis loadings are predicted by a micromechanical model compared with the experiments data. The effect of fiber cross-section fiber on the 30° and 90° off-axis responses are discussed with respect to the viscoplastic parameters of the resin determined. The results indicate that the micromechanical model accurately calculates the behavior of the PMCs employed. The square fiber causes the largest flow stress and plastic strain in the four cases. And the influences on overall responses for the four fiber shapes are enhanced with raising off-axis angles but weaken with the rate increase. However, the elliptical fiber yields the highest modulus in linear elastic stage. The square fiber is the most effective and the elliptical fiber is the least effective in the nonlinear deformation stage. Besides, the elastic properties are unaffected by loading rates when it is less than 1/s.