Simplified transverse Young's modulus of aligned ribbon-reinforced composites by the mechanics-of-materials approach

Abstract

A simplified transverse Young's Modulus of aligned, continuous ribbon-reinforced composites is developed herein within the framework of the mechanics-of-materials approach for the convenience of the designer. The chosen geometry is that of doubly periodic array of rectangular parallel-piped, akin to the method-of-cells approach. Results from the present model compare well with an exact model, which is a combination of Mori-Tanaka's average stress of the matrix and Eshelby's stress field for an ellipsoidal inclusion. Furthermore, results reveal that increasing ribbon width at constant ribbon volume fraction leads to significant stiffness enhancement in the ribbon width direction with marginal loss of stiffness in the ribbon thickness direction.