Title:
Application of Continuum Damage Mechanics to Carbon
Fiber-Reinforced Cement Composites
Author(s):
Mohamed Boulfiza, Nemkumar Banthia, and Koji Sakai
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
97
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
245-253
Keywords:
damage; carbon fibers; cement composites; crack-ing;
beams; bending.
DOI:
10.14359/4619
Date:
5/1/2000
Abstract:
Cement-based materials in general, and concrete in particular, require reinforcements because of their low tensile strength and strain capac-ities. The improvement in the strength and energy absorption capaci-ty of the material, due the addition of randomly oriented and distrib-uted fibers to a cementitious matrix, is usually accompanied by a strong nonlinear behavior of the composite. Therefore, appropriate nonlinear theories are needed to make realistic predictions for struc-tural applications of such materials. Based on the thermodynamics of irreversible processes, and guided by physical observations, damage mechanics has been proven to be a very rational approach when deal-ing with the nonlinear behavior of engineering materials, especially prior to the phenomenon of localization. The response of three-point bending beams and circular plates subjected to center-point transverse loading has been investigated for two volume fractions of carbon fibers (2% and 3%) and three fiber lengths (Lf = 3, 6, and 10 mm). It was found that this approach was very suitable for the prediction of the observed behavior for both fiber volume fractions.