Hybrid-modelling of Mechanical Properties and Thermo-mechanical Behaviour of Chopped Strand Mat Reinforced Thermoset Composites

The concern of this paper is to develop simple workshop application models for predicting the mechanical properties and the evaluation of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of chopped strand fibre-mat reinforced thermoset composites. A hybrid of empirical and strength of materials approach was used at macro- and micro-mechanics levels to model the random fibres which were treated as simple bars within the mat preform and the resulting composite material. The model was validated experimentally by testing wet lay-up produced samples with varying fibre volume fractions and they were found to agree well. The toughness modulus of the composite was also modeled using the secant modulus obtained from the sample’s stress – strain curves of uniform material composites produced at different temperature histories. The toughness modulus determined using the new model was compared with that obtained using the area under the same stress – strain curve computed by Simpson’s rule and the results agreed very well.