A three-dimensional micromechanical model to predict the viscoelastic behavior of woven composites

Polymer matrix based cloth composites are increasingly used in engineering applications. For such composites, significant viscoelastic behavior can be observed for dynamic load conditions. The viscoelastic effect is primarily due to the polymeric matrix used as most of the fibers used in structural applications are elastic. Matrix does not show a major contribution in the axial properties of composites, thus in the traditional modeling its viscoelastic nature is often ignored. However, the effective out of plane properties are influenced by the matrix material and exhibit significant damping characteristics. Therefore, a complete three-dimensional (3-D) model considering the viscoelastic nature of matrix is needed for better understanding of cloth composites. An analytical 3-D micromechanical model based on classical laminate theory (CLT) is verified, in this paper for the prediction of effective elastic and viscoelastic properties of a cloth composite. The method is shown to be accurate. This model is extended to the viscoelastic regime with the use of Laplace transform and correspondence principle. Prony series coefficients for composite cloth are obtained for different volume fractions of fibers in yarn. It is observed from the hysteresis plots that dissipation in out of plane normal and shear modes is significantly higher than the normal directions.

► Viscoelastic micro-mechanical model for polymeric matrix based composites developed.
► Correspondence principle used to extend theory for elastic materials to derive viscoelastic equations.
► Analysis of viscoelastic cloth composites developed.
► Effect of fiber volume fraction on the hysteris behavior of cloth composites found.
► Shear mode dissipation found to be significant.