Numerical and experimental study of single fiber push-out test: Influence of fiber/matrix interface mechanical properties

© CCM 2020 - 18th European Conference on Composite Materials. All rights reserved. Single fiber push-out experiments are used to characterize the mechanical behavior of fiber/matrix interface and have attracted significant attention due to their versatility. The effect of the interface mechanical properties on the corresponding composite mechanical behavior is complex and it clearly involves both experimental and theoretical challenges. With this regard, push-out tests were conducted on thin sections of a commercial composite at room temperature by applying various loading protocols to assess the micromechanical interaction between the carbon fibers and the polymeric matrix. The microscopic observations confirmed the push-out of individual fibers up to a distance in the order of 1.2 μm. To elucidate the deformation mechanism of the fiber/matrix interface during push-out test, a 2-D numerical model was developed utilizing a cohesive zone model (CZM) based on the commercial finite element (FE) software ANSYS 16.0.