Generating Representative Volume Element (RVE) for Finite Element Analysis of Random Fiber Composites/Nanocomposites

By Rajni Chahal1, Ashfaq Adnan1, Ajit Roy2

1. The University of Texas at Arlington 2. Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S.A.

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Abstract

      Typical electronics packages are assembled by integrating various parts on printed circuit boards (PCB). Traditional interconnect materials in electronics packages are not suitable for DoD electronics because in many DoD extremely transient conditions, mechanical failures of the whole packages invariably occur due to interconnect junction failures.  The long-term objective of the research is to computationally investigate the effect of high strain rate loadings on the thermal and mechanical damage/failure of carbon nanotube reinforced polymer nanocomposites, while retaining their electrical functionality. In pursuit of our research goal, we first seek to obtain the elastic response of the nanocomposites.

      In particular, Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are dispersed in polymer matrix similar to a random fiber network. Currently available computational studies consider a Representative Volume Element (RVE) constituted of CNTs with “assumed” orientation and distribution in the polymeric matrix. It has been reported in the literature1 that various parameters, such as length, diameter, orientation, distribution, and volume fraction of fiber, etc., are critical in depicting the mechanical behavior of a network, or any network based composite. Thus, it becomes necessary to generate a model which can take care of these parameters in order to predict a realistic response of random fiber composites.

      In addition, this code can be utilized to calculate fiber volume fraction, & to draw color maps representing fiber distribution in a composite. Fiber/matrix interfaces of specified width can be included in the continuum model. 

Bio

PhD Student, Aerospace Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington

References

1 R.C. Picu, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 6768. 2 https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/math/random-numbers-in-matlab.html. 3 H. Corte, J.O. Kallmes, Statistical Geometry of a Fibrous Network, 1961. 4 http://www.scan2cad.com/. 5 https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad. 6 https://tramununte.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/abaqus-analysis-users-manual-vol-4.

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Researchers should cite this work as follows:

  • Rajni Chahal; Ashfaq Adnan; Ajit Roy (2017), "Generating Representative Volume Element (RVE) for Finite Element Analysis of Random Fiber Composites/Nanocomposites," https://cdmhub.org/resources/1398.

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