Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Towards the ultimate goal of using additively manufactured composites as end-use parts for functional engineering applications, this research pursues the following two long-term objectives: 1- Develop a micromechanical model to study Fiber Reinforced Additively Manufactured (FRAM) composites aimed at understanding the failure mechanisms in order to prevent/delay failure and enhance performance. 2- Establish a progressive damage model based on Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) using the insight and information obtained from the afore-developed micromechanical model to predict the failure of FRAM composite parts under static, dynamic, cyclic, and long-term loading conditions. The research effort seeks to present an experimentally validated numerical substitute for some of the costly and time-consuming experiments on FRAM composite materials. It aims in particular to examine the failure mechanisms and how these mechanisms are influenced by the additive manufacturing parameters. The break-down of the short-term objectives of this study is as follows: 1- Development of a micromechanical model with a Representative Volume Element (RVE) that can represent a 3D-printed fiber reinforced composite as opposed to the RVE used for conventionally manufactured composites. 2- Implementation of viscoelasticity and viscoplasticity into the constitutive behaviour of the fiber and thermoplastic matrix. 3- Experimental test program for material characterization of the fiber and matrix constituents. 4- Using the micromechanical model to predict the effective properties of 3D printed composite parts. 5- Using the micromechanical model to determine failure mechanisms and the correlation between the microstructure and the mechanical properties. 6- Development of a CDM model to predict the failure of 3D printed composites. 7- Experimental test program on various 3D printed composites and using the test results to validate the proposed damage model. 8- Implementation of the proposed damage model into a commercial Finite element- based software. According to the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, advanced composites are one of three "priority technologies" of strategic importance to the future of the Canadian Aerospace Industry. An untapped potential in this area is the use of additively manufactured composite parts. Recent studies have shown that reinforcing 3D printed thermoplastic components can greatly enhance the mechanical properties and thus the functionality of these parts. Considering the various advantages of the additive manufacturing technology such as low cost, short production time, and minimal waste of material, the use of 3D printed composites will be a great step towards employing these materials as end-use, functional load- bearing components.