Effects of Fiber Volume Fraction on Transverse Tensile Properties of SiC/Ti-6Al-4V Composites

The transverse tensile properties of SiC/Ti-6Al-4V composites, subjected to both residual stress and applied transverse stress, have been investigated with emphasis on effects of fiber volume fractions by finite element analysis. Coincident nodes at fiber/matrix interfaces were connected by springs to simulate interfacial debonding. The results indicate that the applied stresses required to cause interfacial debonding (corresponding to strain jumps in stress-strain curves) are mainly affected by interfacial residual radial stresses at θ=0° under fixed interfacial bonding strength. The collapse stresses (corresponding to horizontal parts in stress-strain curves) of the composites, however, are a function of fiber volume fractions. Furthermore, the lower the fiber volume fractions are, the higher the collapse stresses are.