Finite element analysis of mechanical properties of 3D four-directional rectangular braided composites-part 2: Validation of the 3D finite element model

In the first part of the work, we have established a new parameterized three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) which precisely simulated the spatial configuration of the braiding yarns and considered the cross-section deformation as well as the surface contact relationship between the yarns. This paper presents a prediction of the effective elastic properties and the meso-scale mechanical response of 3D braided composites to verify the validation of the FEM. The effects of the braiding parameters on the mechanical properties are investigated in detail. By analyzing the deformation and stress nephogram of the model, a reasonable overall stress field is provided and the results well support the strength prediction. The results indicate it is convenient to predict all the elastic constants of 3D braided composites with different parameters simultaneously using the FEM. Moreover, the FEM can successfully predict the meso-scale mechanical response of 3D braided composites containing periodical structures.