MODEL FOR FRACTURE IN FIBROUS MATERIALS

A fiber-bundle model in (I + 1) dimensions for the breaking of fibrous composite matrix is introduced. The model consists of N parallel fibe rs fixed in two plates. When one of the plates is pulled in the direct ion parallel to the fibers, these can be broken with a probability tha t depends on their elastic energy. The mechanism of rupture is simulat ed by the breaking of neighboring fibers that can generate random crac ks spreading up through the system. Due to the simplicity of the model we have virtually no computational limitation. The model is sensitive to external conditions such as temperature and traction velocity. The energy versus temperature behavior, the diagrams of stress versus str ain, and the histograms of the frequency versus the size of cracks are obtained.