MICROMECHANICAL MODELLING OF PARTICLE-CRACK TIP INTERACTION IN RUBBER-TOUGHENED EPOXIES

摘要

The interaction between a blunting mode I plane-strain crack tip and rubber particles in rubber-toughened epoxies is studied by the particle-crack tip model using 3D elastoplastic FEA. It is shown that rubber particles act as stress concentrators to initiate matrix shear yielding but they behave differently to voids near the crack tip because of their high bulk modulus. Rubber cavitation relieves the triaxial stress plane-strain condition so that extensive plastic deformation can be developed.