Damage model for micro-particle reinforced polymer composites

Damage mechanism plays an important role in governing the post yielding mechanical properties of these materials. Mechanical behaviour of micro-particle reinforced polymer composites (MPRPC) was investigated. The damage evolution rule was derived after the free energy and dissipating potential were hypothesized. The numerical prediction and the experiment measurement are in good agreement with the damage development. Furthermore, a damage modelling technique, in which the effect of damage and predicting the cracking phenomenon of a glass-bead-filled polyphenylene oxide (GB/PPO) composite are characterized, is presented using update Dugdale model. The results demonstrate that the damage zone has a considerable effect on the behaviour of crack tip zone.