Estimation of statistical strength distribution of Carborundum polycrystalline SiC fiber using the single fiber composite with consideration of the matrix hardening

The statistical strength distribution of Carborundum polycrystalline SiC fibers was derived from the fragmentation process in a single fiber/epoxy composite. We conducted Monte Carlo simulations of the fragmentation process using an elastic–plastic hardening shear-lag model. The Monte Carlo simulation with the estimated fiber strength distribution reproduces the fragmentation seen in the experiments very well. We also compared these simulated results with those calculated by the elastic shear-lag model with the shear-lag parameter β tuned as proposed in Curtin et al. [Curtin WA, Netravali AN, Park JM. Strength distribution of Carborundum polycrystalline SiC fibers as derived from the single-fiber-composite. J Mater Sci 1994;29:4718–28] and with an elastic–plastic finite element model. The fiber axial stress distributions in all three models are in close agreement, with the characteristic length β−1 used in Curtin et al. consistent with the plastic length around a fiber break in an elastic–plastic hardening shear-lag model.