Damage characteristics and constitutive modeling of the 2D C/SiC composite: Part I – Experiment and analysis

This paper reports an experimental investigation on the macroscopic mechanical behaviors and damage mechanisms of the plain-woven (2D) C/SiC composite under in-plane on- and off-axis loading conditions. Specimens with 15°, 30°, and 45° off-axis angles were prepared and tested under monotonic and incremental cyclic tension and compression loads. The obtained results were compared with those of uniaxial tension, compression, and shear specimens. The relationships between the damage modes and the stress state were analyzed based on scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) observations and acoustic emission (AE) data. The test results reveal the remarkable axial anisotropy and unilateral behavior of the material. The off-axis tension test results show that the material is fiber-dominant and the evolution rate of damage and inelastic strain is accelerated under the corresponding combined biaxial tension and shear loads. Due to the damage impediment effect of compression stress, compression specimens show higher mechanical properties and lower damage evolution rates than tension specimens with the same off-axis angle. Under cyclic tension–compression loadings, both on-axis and off-axis specimens exhibit progressive damage deactivation behaviors in the compression range, but with different deactivation rates.