A comparison of probabilistic techniques for the strength of fibrous materials under local-sharing among fibers (Q789231)

Three distinct asymptotic analyses for the probability distribution for strength of a certain class of fibrous materials are compared. Authors have in mind composite materials as well as twisted yarns and cables, characterized by strong mechanical interaction among neighbouring fibres as is generated by a bonding matrix or by transverse frictional forces. The chain-of-bundles model is considered and the authors focusing mainly on a planar geometry and a simple type of local load-sharing among fibres in a cross-section wherein the load of a failed fiber is shifted in equal portions to its two nearest flanking survivors. Through the study of typical examples it is found that the results of the three methods all underscore the importance of the Weibull distribution for modeling composite strength, and are in excellent numerical agreement despite their differing analytical form. This is found fortunate because only the two least accurate of the analyses show promise of being extended to more general three-dimensional geometries and local load-sharing rules of interest in applications.