A numerical study on elastic properties of low-density two-dimensional networks of crosslinked long fibers

Fiber-based materials are prevalent in nature and in engineering applications. Microscopically, these materials resemble a discrete assembly of crosslinked or entangled fibers. To understand the relationship between the effective mechanical properties and the underlying microstructures, we consider a variety of periodic and random two-dimensional (2D) networks of crosslinked long fibers. The linearly elastic properties of periodic 2D networks...