Journal of Composite Materials

http://jcm.sagepub.com/

Numerical investigation of composite materials reinforced with waved carbon nanotubes

Morteza Farsadi, Andreas chsner and Moones Rahmandoust
Journal of Composite Materials 2013 47: 1425 originally published online 3 June 2012
DOI: 10.1177/0021998312448495
The online version of this article can be found at:
http://jcm.sagepub.com/content/47/11/1425

Published by:
http://www.sagepublications.com

On behalf of:

American Society for Composites

Additional services and information for Journal of Composite Materials can be found at:
Email Alerts: http://jcm.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts
Subscriptions: http://jcm.sagepub.com/subscriptions
Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav
Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav
Citations: http://jcm.sagepub.com/content/47/11/1425.refs.html

>> Version of Record - May 15, 2013

OnlineFirst Version of Record - Jun 3, 2012
What is This?

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

JOURNAL OF
COMPOSITE
M AT E R I A L S

Article

Numerical investigation of composite

materials reinforced with waved carbon
nanotubes

Journal of Composite Materials

47(11) 14251434
! The Author(s) 2012
Reprints and permissions:
sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0021998312448495
jcm.sagepub.com

chsner2 and
Morteza Farsadi1, Andreas O
2
Moones Rahmandoust

Abstract
This paper studies the extent to which the effective stiffness of composite materials can be impacted by the characteristic
waviness of nanotubes embedded in polymers. A three-dimensional finite element model is used to investigate the effect
of volume fraction and waviness on mechanical properties, i.e. Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio, of composites
reinforced with waved carbon nanotubes. According to the obtained results, the nanotube waviness causes a decrease
in the longitudinal and transverse Youngs modulus of composites, compared to the straight nanotube reinforcement, but
the change in the value of transverse Youngs modulus (Eyy) is less remarkable than the longitudinal Youngs modulus (Exx).
Furthermore, the effect of fiber curvature on Poissons ratio has also been studied. The results show that the curvature
has not much effect on Poissons ratio and when a fiber curvature changes, Poissons ratio value almost remains
unchanged. In addition, the effect of fiber volume fraction on the longitudinal Youngs modulus and major Poissons
ratio has been studied. As the mesh density may have a significant role in evaluating the model, several different meshes
have been generated in order to predict their effect on the mechanical properties of the composite.

Keywords
Carbon nanotube, composite materials, elastic properties of composite, fiber waviness, FEM

Introduction
When a material is composed of one or more discontinuous phases incorporated in a continuous phase, it is
termed a composite where the discontinuous phase is
the reinforcing material (ber) and the continuous
phase is the matrix. The bers have been used as stiening and strengthening agents since 800 BC by ancient
Egyptians who blended straw and clay to make reinforced bricks. Since their discovery by Iijima in 1991,1
signicant research has focused on carbon nanotubes
(CNTs) as bers. CNTs have exceptional mechanical
properties in addition to their outstanding electronic
and thermal properties.2 Experimental and theoretical
investigations show that the strengths of CNTs is 10 to
100 times greater than the strongest steel at a fraction
of the weight and that its elastic modulus is larger than
1 TPa, in comparison with 0.2 TPa for steel and
0.07 TPa for aluminum.3
Because of the signicant mechanical properties of
CNTs, reinforcement of various matrices by the use of

CNTs has become a key research interest worldwide.

Due to the size of the nanotubes, challenges related
with large ller particles, especially stress concentrations, are substantially reduced. Furthermore, no
other ller shows such a high strength and stiness
integrated with a low density. Lately, analytical
models and extensive work on reinforcement of polymer, ceramic, and metal matrices by CNTs has been
developed. In order to have a better understanding of
real applications of CNTs, a good understanding of
their properties is important.
Due to the very small dimensions of nanotubes,
studying geometric parameters in composite properties
1

University of Applied Science and Technology, Birjand, Iran

Department of Solid Mechanics and Design, Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
2

Corresponding author:
Morteza Farsadi, University of Applied Science and Technology (UAST),
Provincial Branch, PO Box 97179-11487, Birjand, Iran.
Email: morteza.farsadi@gmail.com

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

1426

Journal of Composite Materials 47(11)

is a complicated experimental issue. The development

of atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electronic microscopy (TEM),
X-ray scattering, and tomography had caused the characterization of CNTs and nanocomposites to improve
signicantly to the molecular level (Figure 1).
CNTs are rather newly found allotropes of carbon
which comprises long-chained atoms of carbon, arranged
in a hexagonal network to form a tubular structure.
Depending on the number of concentric tubules of
carbon, CNTs are classied as single-, double-, or
multi-walled CNTs. On average, the nanotubes are
around 10002000 A in length and about 20150 A in
diameter. Due to their exceptional properties, nanotubes
exhibit a considerable capability to be employed as nanobers in advanced composites. Thus, along with new
developments in nanofabrication and nanotechnology
techniques, wide investigation has been devoted to the
development and characterization of CNT-based multifunctional composites throughout the world.
A proper comprehension of macroscopic elastic
properties of CNTs is necessary to determine their capability as structural reinforcements in composite materials. Accordingly, dierent theoretical and experimental
investigations were accomplished to predict the elastic
behavior of CNTs. Experimental investigations have
been conducted by several researchers to examine the
mechanical properties of CNTs.4,5 These investigators
have employed various techniques and reported a
broad range of values for their mechanical properties.
The experimentally reported values are widely scattered

which can be attributed to the dierences in the method

of nanotube production, problems in test specimen
preparation, and the deciency in appropriate direct measurement techniques at nanometer scale.
Nevertheless, since the experimentally reported values
are widely scattered, many investigators were motivated
to conduct various computational investigations on the
eective properties of nanotubes. These are basically
based on two dierent methods: the quantum and
molecular mechanics approach and the continuum
mechanics approach.6 However, applying quantum
mechanics approaches such as the classical molecular
dynamics and ab initio techniques is restricted to simulate a very small number of atoms, for a few nanoseconds of reaction, and needs large computational
resources.7,8 As a result, continuum mechanics techniques are becoming more and more accepted and
widely used, though the interrelation of atomistic and
continuum material descriptions is still under research
and is not yet well practiced.9 The development of
structureproperty relationships of nanotubes and
nanostructured materials by means of replacement of
the discrete molecular structure with their equivalent
continuum models have been proposed in a few
recent publications.10,11 By successful substitution of
the graphitic structure with corresponding truss and
continuum models, the eective geometry and the
bending rigidity of a graphite sheet were estimated. A
linkage between molecular mechanics and structural
mechanics in terms of geometric parameters of frame
structures was also proposed by Li and Chou.12

Figure 1. Illustrative example of evaluating nanotube waviness.4

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

Farsadi et al.

1427

According to the Qian et al.13 report, in one of the

earliest investigations on nanotube-based composites, it
was discerned that when nanotubes of around 1%
weight are dispersed homogenously into polystyrene
matrices, the tensile strength enhances by around
25% and the elastic modulus increases by 3642%. Ci
et al.14 organized a study in which CNTs were eectively produced on the surface of alumina ceramic bers
to be applied as nanoscale reinforcements. Thermal
behavior of nanotubes and their composites has also
attracted the attention of researchers due to its potential application in spacecraft technology. The axial
buckling response of CNTs in thermal environment
was studied by Wang et al.15,16
Fiber waviness as a type of manufacturing defect
which particularly occurs during the lament winding
process is also investigated by some scholars. This kind
of defect is caused by local buckling of prepreg or wet
hoop wound lament strands under the pressure
exerted by the overwrapped layers.17,18 Tamopolskii
et al.19 began the analytical approach, particularly
addressed to the prediction of Youngs modulus of
wavy composites. They presumed that the bers are
sinusoidally curved with an initial deection. The
eect of ber waviness on the elastic properties of composite materials was investigated theoretically and
experimentally by Hsiao and Daniel20 as well.
Furthermore, a nite element (FE) micromechanical
model for stiness and strength of wavy ber composite
was developed by Garnich and Karami.21 Davis22 also
studied the eect of ber waviness on the compressive
behavior of composite materials. His model was based
on a repeating element of ber surrounded by two half
layers of matrix. For multi-walled carbon nanotubes
(MWCNTs), Pantano et al.23 investigated the eects
of MWCNTs waviness, outer diameter, volume fraction (Vf), and of the matrix stiness on the reinforcing
capabilities of MWCNTs. Fisher et al.24 developed an
FE model in order to evaluate the numerical results
which predict an increase in Poissons ratio, as the
ber waviness increases, and a reduction in the value
of Youngs modulus.
In this paper, the CNT is modeled as a sinusoidal
ber in an FE approach in order to evaluate the structure and achieve the corresponding results. This
approximates the CNT and the surrounding matrix as
a continuum; the limitations and justication of this
assumption, as discussed in another study by Liu
et al.,25 have been considered in this work. The innovation of this work is that, in addition to studying the
eect of nanotube curvature on the mechanical properties of composite material which had been conducted by
several researchers before, the eects of curvature on
the Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio have also
been observed when the displacement is exerted

perpendicular to the ber. Since composite parts in different industries are under loading in dierent directions, studying changes in mechanical properties
under loading in ber direction and in perpendicular
direction to it is very important in optimal design.
Furthermore, the eect of ber volume fraction Vf on
the longitudinal Youngs modulus and major Poissons
ratio has been studied.

FE analysis
The FE method is a powerful tool to model the eective
response of embedded wavy inclusions of CNTs inside
a matrix. To determine the eective reinforcing modulus (E) of an embedded wavy nanotube, the commercial
FE code MSC.Marc was used to create and analyze a
three-dimensional FE model of a single, wavy nanotube
shape of the form z a cos2x=L, where L is the
sinusoidal wavelength and x is the ber axial direction
(Figure 2). In order to generate the three-dimensional
models, eight-node, isoparametric hexahedral elements
with trilinear interpolation functions were used for the
matrix and ber. The matrix and the ber were rst
meshed as individual solids. Then, assuming perfect
bonding and by merging the nodes of the two constituents in the contact region, the interface between matrix
and ber has been modeled. Since only elastic properties were evaluated within this contribution, static
linear-elastic analyses were performed with the commercial code.
For the FE simulations where the loading was in
direction of the ber, i.e. the x-direction, reective symmetry conditions were prescribed on the x 0 (ux 0),
y 0 (uy 0), and z 0 (uz 0) plane. In addition, a
small displacement (ux
L) was applied to all nodes
of the model at x L in the x-direction. For the cases
where the loading was perpendicular to the ber, i.e.
the y-direction, reective symmetry conditions were
prescribed on the x 0 (ux 0), y 0 (uy 0), and
z 0 (uz 0) plane and a small displacement
(uy
L) was applied to all nodes of the model at
y b/2 in the y-direction. Thus, pure tensile tests were
realized in both directions where bending was excluded
due to the applied displacement boundary conditions.
Youngs modulus and Poissons ratios which were
assigned for the CNT and matrix are given in Table 1.
In the linear-elastic range, Youngs modulus is
dened as follows:
P
Eii

Fi  L
A 
L

i x, y

P
where
Fi is the sum of reaction forces on the displaced plane, A is the cross-sectional area of the cell,
and
L is a small displacement. Since the curve radius

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

1428

Journal of Composite Materials 47(11)

Figure 2. Schematic representation of the composite model reinforced with waved carbon nanotube for axial displacement.

Table 1. Assigned mechanical properties.24,26

CNT
Matrix

Youngs modulus

Poissons ratio

1.03 TPa
3.8 GPa

0.063
0.4

CNT: carbon nanotube.

P
(a) has direct eect on F, Youngs modulus (E) will
be majorly dependent on a parameter called the waviness ratio (w a/L). A systematic analysis of the impact
of this parameter on E was undertaken and the key
results will be presented in the following section.

Effect of number of nodes

Since the type of mesh may have a strong eect on the
results of a FE analysis, the problem has been studied
with four dierent numbers of nodes. In order to obtain
the optimal mesh, meshing was started from a minimum of 630 nodes toward a ner mesh with a higher
number of nodes, i.e. 630, 1287, 2288, and 3705 nodes
each time. Figures 3 and 4 show the Youngs modulus,
where the displacement was respectively parallel (Exx)
and perpendicular (Eyy) to the ber, as a function of the
number of nodes with a nanotube waviness ratio of
0.08 (w a/L 0.08) and a Vf of 0.014. As is shown
in Figures 3 and 4, with an increase in the number of
nodes, Youngs modulus will decrease to a rather constant number for both cases. To be more precise, the

highest mesh density was obtained with 3705 nodes,

and as can be seen, the dierence between the obtained
Youngs modulus at the last two meshes, namely 2288
and 3705 nodes, is not remarkable. This fact implies
that a mesh with 2288 nodes is reliable enough to
give accurate results while requiring less time and
energy for evaluating a model with a ner mesh and
higher number of nodes.

Results and discussion

The objective of this work is to develop a method to
incorporate the typically observed waviness of
embedded nanotubes into standard micromechanical
techniques. Because the nanotube has been modeled
as a continuum, the method is also in general applicable
to other types of inclusions that may exhibit similar
embedded geometries, by dening appropriate initial
material and geometric properties.

Effect of waviness ratio

Figure 5 shows the dependency of the longitudinal
Youngs modulus (Exx) on the ber waviness ratio
(w a/L), where the displacement is parallel to the
ber, for a Vf of 0.014. As can be seen, longitudinal
Youngs modulus is strongly dependent on the curvature and quickly decreases as the nanotubes curvature
increases. Therefore, it can be concluded that when the
curvature of the ber increases, the reinforcement property of the ber decreases and composite stiness
against the displacement exerted will reduce.

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

Farsadi et al.

1429

Figure 3. Effect of meshing on the longitudinal Youngs modulus (Exx).

Figure 4. Effect of meshing on the transverse Youngs modulus (Eyy).

Figure 6 shows the changes of transverse Youngs

modulus (Eyy) as a function of ber waviness ratio
(w a/L), where the displacement is perpendicular
to the ber for a Vf of 0.014. As can be seen in the
Figure 6, transverse Youngs modulus (Eyy) decreases
as the nanotubes curvature changes. The change in the
value of transverse Youngs modulus (Eyy) is less
remarkable in this case, compared to the parallel case.
Figure 7 shows the Poissons ratio nxy, and the
Poissons ratio nxz, as a function of ber waviness ratio

(w a/L), where the displacement is parallel to the ber

and the Vf is 0.014. When the displacement is parallel to
the ber, compression occurs in both y- and z-directions
of the matrix and as a result, Poissons ratio nxy will be
approximately equal to the Poissons ratio nxz. As can be
seen, the eect of waviness on the Poissons ratio is less
remarkable. It should be noted here that a similar conclusion can be drawn for the values of Youngs modulus
in the y- and z-direction, i.e. these values are approximately the same from a practical point of view.

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

1430

Journal of Composite Materials 47(11)

Figure 5. Longitudinal Youngs modulus (Exx) as a function of nanotube waviness ratio (w a/L).

Figure 6. Transverse Youngs modulus (Eyy) as a function of waviness ratio (w a/L).

Effect of Vf
Figure 8 shows the longitudinal Youngs modulus as a
function of Vf, for dierent curvatures. As can be seen,
with an increase in the Vf, longitudinal Youngs modulus increases as well. Because the ber is stier than the
matrix, by increasing the Vf, the eect of the presence of
ber in the model compared to the matrix becomes
more signicant; consequently the composite will be
stier and longitudinal Youngs modulus will increase.

In order to validate the results, the classical HalpinTsai equations (see Appendix) have been employed for
straight bers. As shown in Figure 8, results obtained
from Halpin-Tsai are equal to the results obtained for
the model with straight bers.
The straight bers have the highest longitudinal
Youngs modulus and with an increase in the curvature,
longitudinal Youngs modulus decreases. Therefore,
the curves related to wavy bers will be placed under
that with straight bers.

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

Farsadi et al.

1431

Figure 7. Poissons ratio (n) as a function of waviness ratio (w a/L).

Figure 8. Longitudinal Youngs modulus (Exx) as a function of volume fractions (Vf).

Figure 9 shows the changes in longitudinal Youngs

modulus as a function of nanotubes waviness ratio, for
dierent Vf. As it is indicated in Figure 9, for all Vf, an
increase in curvature leads to a decrease of longitudinal
Youngs modulus. Furthermore, with an increase in the
Vf, longitudinal Youngs modules, which is strongly
dependent to the presence of bers in the composite,
will increase.

Figure 10 shows the major Poissons ratio nxy as

function of the Vf for dierent curvatures. As the
ber Vf increases, the eect of ber presence in the
model becomes more remarkable, and the composite
becomes stier (consider that the ber is much stier
than the matrix), and consequently Poissons ratio nxy
decreases. For each Vf, as the curvature increases the
model stiness decreases and as a result Poissons ratio

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

1432

Journal of Composite Materials 47(11)

Figure 9. Longitudinal Youngs modulus (Exx) as a function of waviness ratio (w a/L).

Figure 10. Poissons ratio nxy as function of volume fraction (Vf).

nxy will increase. It should be noted here that the same

conclusion can be drawn for the Poissons ratio nxz.
To compare the results, the Halpin-Tsai equations
have been employed for the straight bers. As the gure
indicates, the results obtained for the straight bers are
compatible with those of the Halpin-Tsai equation. The
straight ber with the highest stiness has the lowest
Poissons ratio. As the curvature increases, stiness
decreases as well. Consequently, the models with

higher ber waviness will have a higher Poissons

ratio compared to the composite model having straight
bers.

Conclusion
Mechanical properties of composite material with ber
waviness have been investigated as a three-dimension
FE model by means of the commercial software

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

Farsadi et al.

1433

MSC.Marc . Since the type of mesh density has a

strong eect on the results of FE analysis, dierent
node numbers were used in order to obtain the optimal
mesh. The change in Exx and Eyy values as function of
ber waviness has been studied. In order to validate the
results, the Halpin-Tsai equations have been employed
for straight bers. As is shown in the diagrams, the
results obtained from the Halpin-Tsai equations are
exactly equal to the results obtained for the model
with straight bers.
The results obtained show that the ber curvature
causes a decrease in Exx and Eyy; however, this decrease
in longitudinal direction is larger and more signicant
than in the transverse direction. Furthermore, the eect
of ber curvature on Poissons ratio has also been studied. The results show that the curvature has not much
eect on Poissons ratio and when a ber curvature
changes, Poissons ratio value almost remains
unchanged. In addition, the eect of ber Vf on the
longitudinal Youngs modulus and major Poissons
ratio has been studied. The results show that with a
decrease in ber Vf, the eect of ber curvature on
the longitudinal Youngs modulus and major
Poissons ratio decrease, besides in small Vf by
making a change in ber curvature, Poissons ratio
and Youngs modulus do not change signicantly.
Funding
This research received no specic grant from any funding
agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-prot sectors.

Conflict of interest
None declared.

References
1. Iijima S. Helicoidal microtubes of graphitic carbon. Nature
1991; 354: 5658.
2. Lu JP. Elastic properties of single and multilayered nanotubes. J Phys Chem Solids 1997; 58(11): 16491652.
3. Thostenson ET, Reng Z and Chou T. Advances in the
science and technology of carbon nanotubes and their
composites: a review. Compos Sci Technol 2001; 61:
18991912.
4. Krishnan A, Dujardin E, Ebbesen TW, et al. Youngs
modulus of single-walled nanotubes. Phys Rev B 1998;
58: 1401314019.
5. Wong EW, Sheehan PE and Lieber CM. Nanobeam mechanics: elasticity, strength, and toughness of nanorods and
nanotubes. Science 1997; 277: 19711975.
6. Xiao JR, Gama BA and Gillespie JW. An analytical
molecular structural mechanics model for the mechanical
properties of carbon nanotubes. Int J Solids Struct 2005;
42: 30753092.
7. Qian D, Wagner GJ, Liu WK, et al. Mechanics of Carbon
nanotubes. Appl Mech Rev 2002; 55: 495533.

8. Wang X, Zhang YC, Xia XH, et al. Effective bending

modulus of carbon nanotubes with rippling deformation.
Int J Solids Struct 2004; 41: 64296439.
9. Qian D, Liu WK, Subramoney S, et al. Effect of interlayer potentialon mechanical deformation of multiwalled
carbon nanotubes. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2003; 3(1/2):
185191.
10. Odegard GM, Gates TS, Nicholson LM, et al.
Equivalentcontinuum modeling with application to
carbon nanotubes. NASA/TM-2002-211454. Hampton,
VA: NASA Langley Research Center, 2002.
11. Odegard GM, Gates TS, Nicholson LM, et al.
Equivalentcontinuum modeling of nano-structured materials. NASA/TM-2001-210863. Hampton, VA: NASA
Langley Research Center, 2001.
12. Li C and Chou TW. Modeling of elastic buckling of
Carbon nanotubes by molecular structural mechanics
approach. Mech Mater 2004; 36(11): 10471055.
13. Qian D, Dickey EC, Andrews R, et al. Load transfer and deformation mechanisms in carbon nanotube
polystyrene composites. Appl Phys Lett 2000; 76:
28682890.
14. Ci LJ, Zhao ZG and Bai JB. Direct growth of carbon
nanotubes on the surface of ceramic fibers. Carbon
2005; 43: 855894.
15. Wang X, Wang XY and Xiao J. A non-linear analysis of
the bending modulus of carbon nanotubes with rippling
deformation. Compos Struct 2005; 69: 315321.
16. Wang X, Yang HK and Yin XC. Axially critical load of
multiwall carbon nanotubes under thermal environment.
J Therm Stresses 2005; 28: 185196.
17. Garala HJ. Experimental evaluation of graphite-epoxy
composite cylinders subjected to external hydrostatic
compressive loading. In: Proceedings of the 1987 SEM
spring conference on experimental mechanics. Houston,
Texas, Society for Experimental Mechanics, Bethel, CT,
June 1419, 1987; pp.948951.
18. Garala HJ. Structural evaluation of 1-inch diameter graphite-epoxy composite cylinders subjected to external
hydrostatic compressive loading. Bethesda, MD: Ship
Structures and Protection Department R&D Report
DTRC-89/106, David Taylor Research Center, 1989.
19. Tamopolskii YM, Portnov GG and Zhigun IG. Effect of
fiber misalignment on elasticity modulus in extension of
unidirectional glass-reinforced plastic. Polym Mech 1967;
3(5): 567570.
20. Hsiao HM and Daniel IM. Elastic properties of composites with fiber waviness. Compos Part A 1996; 27(10):
931941.
21. Garnich MR and Karami G. Finite element micromechanics for stiffness and strength of wavy fiber composites.
J Compos Mater 2004; 38(4): 273292.
22. Davis JG. Compressive strength of fiber-reinforced composite materials. In: Edward M. Wu Composite reliability.
Philadelphia, PA: ASTM STP 580, American Society for
Testing and Materials, 1975, pp.364377.
23. Pantano A, Modica G and Cappello F. Multiwalled
carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites. Mater
Sci Eng A 2008; 486: 222227.

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014

1434

Journal of Composite Materials 47(11)

24. Fisher FT, Bradshaw RD and Brinson LC. Fiber

waviness in nanotube-reinforced polymer composites-I:
modulus prediction using effective nanotube properties.
Compos Sci Technol 2003; 63: 16891703.
25. Liu Y, Nishimura N and Otani Y. Large-scale modeling
of carbon nanotube composites by a fast multipole
boundary element method. Comput Mater Sci 2005; 34:
173187.
26. Rahmandoust M and Ochsner A. Influence of structural
imperfections and doping on the mechanical properties of
single-walled carbon nanotubes. J Nano Res 2009; 6:
185196.
27. Kew K. Mechanics of composite materials, 2nd edn.
Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, 2006.

#f
#m

ber Poissons ratio.

matrix Poissons ratio.

Transverse modulus (Eyy):

M
1 Vf

Mm
1  Vf

Mf
1
Mm

Mf

Mm

where:

Appendix
Halpin-Tsai equations are useful for the prediction of
the properties of composite materials. They are as
follows:27
Longitudinal modulus (Exx):
Exx Ef Vf Em 1  Vf

Major Poissons ratio (nxy):

#xy #f Vf #m 1  Vf

M
Mf
Mm
x

Composite values of Eyy.

Fiber values of Eyy.
Matrix values of Eyy.
Reinforcing factor for Eyy and depend
on following (a value of x 1 has been
assumed in this work):

Function of ber geometry, packing arrangement,

and loading conditions.
Found by elasticity solution, and by tting Z to
other solutions.

where:
Vf

ber volume fraction.

Downloaded from jcm.sagepub.com by guest on November 3, 2014