Non-linear material characterization of CFRP with FEM utilizing cohesive surface considerations validated with effective tensile test fixturing

Modelling the effect of fibre orientation in carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) on mechanical behaviour is critical for component design and manufacturing process optimization. The objectives of this paper are to simulate the mechanical properties of CFRP to fracture and design a tensile test rig that could induce fracture at the specimen gauge section consistently. Finite element solver ABAQUS Explicit was used to simulate the effects of...