Sensitivity Analysis of Material Parameters on the Microscale Stress Distribution in Glass Fiber-Reinforced Composites in Transverse Loading

Effect of material parameters on microscale stress distribution in glass fiber-reinforced composite were evaluated quantitatively using statistical methods. These effects have already been studied through the development of numerous complicated numerical models as well as basic analytical models, but their numerical relations have not been addressed. Monte Carlo simulation and finite element analysis (FEA) were performed with various fiber volume ratios and material parameters. Stress concentration results gathered from the FEA were investigated via parametric correlation technique to observe the relation between the parameters and the stress concentrations. A parameter called over-stressed volume percentage (OVP) was introduced to capture the influence level of material parameters causing too high stress concentrations and to give indication about the failure initiation. The results reveal the sensitivity of the parameters on the stress concentrations and the comparison of their effects with each other, numerically. Fiber volume ratio has shown to have much more effect on the maximum stress concentrations and OVP compared to the other material parameters. Variation in the Poisson's ratio does not cause a significant change on the stress concentrations.