ENG10002 Engineering Materials
Tutorial 9
1. A continuous and aligned fiber-reinforced composite is to be produced consisting of 30
vol% aramid fibers and 70 vol% of a polycarbonate matrix; mechanical characteristics
of these two materials are as follows:
Modulus of Tensile Strength
Elasticity [GPa] [MPa]
Aramid fiber 400 3900
Polycarbonate 2.4 65
Also, the stress on the polycarbonate matrix when the aramid fibers fail is 45 MPa. For
this composite, compute
(a) the longitudinal modulus of elasticity, [Ans: 121.7 GPa]
(b) the transverse modulus of elasticity, and [Ans: 3.42 GPa]
(c) the longitudinal tensile strength [Ans: 1201.5 MPa]
2. In an aligned and continuous glass fiber-reinforced nylon 6,6 composite, the fibers are
to carry 96% of a load applied in the longitudinal direction.
(a) Using the data provided, determine the volume fraction of fibers that will be
required.
(b) What will be the tensile strength of this composite? Assume that the matrix stress
at fiber failure is 30 MPa.
Modulus of Elasticity Tensile Strength
[GPa] [MPa]
Glass fiber 72.5 3400
Nylon 6,6 3.0 76
[Ans: (a) 0.498; (b) 1708.3 MPa]
3. Assume that the composite described in Problem 1 has a cross-sectional area of 325 mm2
and is subjected to a longitudinal load of 44,600 N.
(a) Calculate the fiber–matrix load ratio.
(b) Calculate the actual loads carried by both fiber and matrix phases.
(c) Compute the magnitude of the stress on each of the fiber and matrix phases.
(d) What strain is experienced by the composite?
[Ans: (a) Ff = 71.43Fm (b) Fm = 616 N ; Ff = 43984 N
(c) σm = 2.7 MPa ; σf = 451 MPa (d) εc = 1.13×10−3]
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4. A continuous and aligned fiber-reinforced composite having a cross-sectional area of
1140 mm2 is subjected to an external tensile load. If the stresses sustained by the fiber
and matrix phases are 156 MPa and 2.75 MPa, respectively, the force sustained by the
fiber phase is 74,000 N and the total longitudinal strain is 1.4 × 10-3, determine
(a) the force sustained by the matrix phase
(b) the moduli of elasticity for fiber and matrix phases, and
(c) the modulus of elasticity of the composite material in the longitudinal direction.
[Ans: (a) Fm =1831 N (b) Em = 1.96 GPa ; Ef = 111.4 GPa (c) Ecl = 47.5 GPa]
5. Compute the longitudinal tensile strength of an aligned glass fiber-epoxy matrix
composite in which the average fiber diameter and length are 0.010 mm and 2.5 mm,
respectively, and the volume fraction of fibers is 0.40. Assume that (1) the fiber-matrix
bond strength is 75 MPa, (2) the fracture strength of the fibers is 3500 MPa, and (3) the
matrix stress at fiber failure is 8.0 MPa. [Ans: 1340 MPa]
6. It is desired to produce an aligned carbon fiber-epoxy matrix composite having a
longitudinal tensile strength of 750 MPa. Calculate the volume fraction of fibers necessary
if (1) the average fiber diameter and length are 1.2 × 10-2 mm and 1 mm, respectively; (2)
the fiber fracture strength is 5000 MPa; (3) the fiber-matrix bond strength is 25 MPa; and
(4) the matrix stress at fiber failure is 10 MPa.
[Ans: 0.357]
7. For a polymer-matrix fiber-reinforced composite,
(a) List three functions of the matrix phase.
(b) Compare the desired mechanical characteristics of matrix and fiber phases.
(c) Cite two reasons why there must be a strong bond between fiber and matrix at their
interface.
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