Prediction of elastic properties of woven polymer composites using micromechanical models and measured microstructural parameters

Prediction of elastic properties of plain weave composites using two well-known micromechanical models is addressed, along with a dedicated finite element model of the unit cell which includes details of the woven architecture. Predictions of micromechanical models are carried out using geometric input parameters statistically measured from micrographies of the unit cell of the plain weave composite and compared to finite element predictions and to measured elastic properties of an E-glass/vinyl ester plain weave composite. The micromechanical models predict that the width and thickness of the yarn in the fill and warp directions greatly influence the elastic properties and anisotropy of the plain weave composite. Good agreement between all approaches and the measured values is observed for the in-plane elastic properties, as long as the input geometric parameters of the unit cell required for the models are measured with statistical rigor. However, transverse shear moduli are not accurately predicted by the examined micromechanical models, only by the finite element method. Reasons for such discrepancies are discussed and supported by modeling findings and digital image correlation full field strain maps.