Full-field strain measurements and meso-FE modelling of hybrid carbon/self-reinforced polypropylene

The strain fields in tension were investigated for hybrid carbon fibre/self-reinforced polypropylene (SRPP) composites. Polypropylene tapes were co-woven with carbon fibre prepreg tapes and hot compacted into composite plates. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was employed to measure the local surface strains during uniaxial tension. The geometry of the hybrid composite was modelled using WiseTex software and transferred to Abaqus for meso-finite element (FE) modelling using the embedded element method. The comparison between experiments and calculated strain patterns confirmed the validity of the meso-FE modelling for this complex weave architecture. The details of the strain fields were revealed in the FE results, whereas the DIC analysis averaged them out. This strain field information provides a foundation for the analysis of synergetic effects in hybrid composites.