Parametric study of the effect of microstructure on creep of plain weave composites

While the effect of microstructure on elastic properties and failure behavior of woven composites has been studied before, its effect on creep of woven composites has not been studied. Hence, a parametric study of the effect of microstructure on tensile creep of plain weave composites was pursued. The microstructure of F263/T300 plain weave composites was characterized experimentally and the range of values for various parameters that define the microstructure of the plain weave composite was obtained. Using these values, experimental creep data for unidirectional lamina, and a modified equivalent laminate model (MELM), tensile creep of woven composite, under on-axis and off-axis loading, was predicted and evaluated. For the range of crimp angle (15.2–19.5°) encountered in this composite, an increase in crimp angle increased both the instantaneous compliance and the magnitude of creep. The effect of crimp angle on creep was more under on-axis than under off-axis loading.