Abstract
A modified mechanics-of-materials approach is developed for analyzing the influence of fiber arrangement in a rectangular array on the transverse anisotropy of transversely-isotropic unidirectional fiber reinforced-composites. The class of material under discussion is one of which is transversely isotropic only when the fiber array aspect ratio is unity. The method takes a one-dimensional approach akin to the slab analysis of metal forming studies—with the exception that the present material being considered is heterogeneous and that deformation is within linear elastic range. Compared to the conventional mechanics-of-materials approach, the present modified model, at unity array aspect ratio assumption for randomly arrayed fibers, gives better agreement with experimental results. Theoretical curves for other array aspect ratios are further plotted and discussed in regard to the fiber array and its relation to transverse anisotropy.
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