Size effect on tensile strength of filament wound CFRP composites

This paper presents the results of theoretical analysis and experimental test to show the size effect on the fiber strength of filament would pressure vessel. First, a series of fully scaled hoop ring tests with filament would carbon-epoxy were conducted, which exhibited a remarkable size effect on the fiber strength. Next, the failure analyses using WWLM(Weibull Weakest Link Model) and the SMFM(Sequential Multi-step Failure Model) were performed and compared to the hoop ring test data, as well as to unidirectional specimens test data from the literature. It was found that the analysis results significantly underestimated the fiber strengths compared to the test data. In this study, a modified SMFM was proposed through the modification of the length size effect. The fiber strengths from modified SMFM analysis showed good agreement with the test data.