Problems and Progress in the Characterisation and Stress Analysis of Moulded Fibre-Reinforced Composites : A Thermoelastic Approach

Abstract

Fibre-reinforced composite components manufactured by compression moulding present special difficulties to the stress analyst because of the spatial variations in the material and mechanical properties developed as a result of the moulding operation. Two procedures have been developed, based on the thermoelastic stress analysis technique, to help in the stress analysis of such components. The first, a development of the Brazilian disc test, allows the directions of the principal material axes, the local fibre content and the princiipal material and mechanical properties at a point in a flat area of a moulding to be determined. In the second procedure, the results of a numerical stress analysis are iteratively modified until a satisfactory comparison with thermoelastic stress data is obtained.