ME734CompositeMaterials

Assignment#1
DueFeb.2,2017
(Submithardcopybythebeginningoflecture)

DepartmentofMechanical&MechatronicsEngineering
UniversityofWaterloo
Instructor:JohnMontesano

Themarksforeachquestionareidentified,thereareatotalof100marksfortheassignment.

1)(a) Derive the expression below for the inplane major Poisson's ratio of a UD lamina.
Consider the general definition of Poisson ratio in your solution (i.e.,
= tranverse / longitudinal ),andclearlystateanyassumptionsmade.

12 = 12 f V f + mVm

(b) Evaluate 12 for a UD carbon fiber/epoxy lamina ( 12 f = 0.21,
fiber/alumina lamina ( 12 f = 0.21,

m = 0.35) and a SiC

m = 0.25) for fiber volume fractions in the range 0.1

0.8,andplottheseresults.Explainthereasonforthegeneraltrendof 12 with V f froma

physicalperspective,andexplainthedifferencesbetweenthetwocurves.

(30marks)

2)Derive the expression below for mode 1 longitudinal compressive strength, F1c, of a UD
u
lamina,whileassumingthat 2ut = mt
(1 V f1/3 ) .Brieflyexplainthemechanismsoffailurefor
thelaminainthismode.
F1c =

u
E1 mt
(1 V f1/3 )

12

(20marks)


3)A unidirectional lamina contains 40% glass fibers embedded in an epoxy matrix. The fiber
axialmodulusandPoissonratioare75GPaand0.20,respectively.Thematrixhasamodulus
of3.5GPaandaPoissonratioof0.35.Assumethatthefibersandmatrixareisotropicand
deformlinearelastically.Answerthefollowing:
(a)Evaluatethelaminareducedstiffnessmatrix,[Qij].
(b) Plot the transformed reduced stiffness matrix components, Qij , as a function of fiber
orientationangle,.Therangeoftheplotshouldbefrom90to90.
(c)Explainthedistinctshapesofthe Q11 andthe Q16 curvesfrompart(b).

Itisadvisedthatashortcodebewrittenforparts(a)and(b)sinceyouwillneedthisfor
thenextassignmentandforyourproject.

(50marks)