3-D F.E.M. analysis of flexural rigidity for plain woven fabric polymer composites.

Recently, fiber-reinforced polymer composites have been used in many fields, and in the bending mode in practical cases. However, few studies for plain-woven fabric composites under bending load have been reported. In this study, the relations between the macromechanical flexural regidity and the volume fraction of fiber, and the type of fiber in the plain-woven fabric reinforced plastic composites under bending load were analysed by 3-D F.E.M. using the smallest unit model of the particular boundary condition. As a result, the following conclusions were obtained: (1) Both flexural rigidity and Young's modulus increase with the increase of volume fraction. (2) Though flexural rigidity is increased with an increase of the distance between the longitudinal and the transverse fiber strand, Young's modulus is decreased. (3) Even if carbon fibers are used as reinforcing materials, the high young's modulus has little effect on the flexural rigidity. (4) The bending moment to the PCM plate is mainly supported by the reinforced longitudinal fiber rovings.