Transverse plastic deformation of metal-matrix with randomly arranged continuous fibers

Within the framework of continuum plasticity theory, a numerical analysis in this investigation is made of the role of microstructures of fibrous composites against transverse plastic flow by means of the finite element method (FEM). In this way, the effective mechanical properties can be related quantitatively to the micro structures of composites reinforced by randomly arranged fibers. The effects of different cross-sectional geometry, such as the fiber shape (circular, square and lozenge), size, and random fiber distribution on the transverse elastic and plastic deformation of the metal-matrix composites with specific randomly distributed, aligned continuous fibers, are examined. Numerical results show that the overall transverse plastic flow of the composites is rather sensitive to the fiber geometric parameters while the elastic properties exhibit a much lower sensitivity to the fiber distribution. The interference of fibers with flow paths is seen from stress contours analysis to play an important role in the transverse strengthening due to the constraint imposed by the reinforcements. The calculations of the alterations in matrix field quantities in response to controlled changes in the random fiber distribution give valuable insights into the effects of fiber clustering on the transverse tensile properties.