STIFFNESS REDUCTION DUE TO MULTIPLE MICROCRACKS IN TRANSVERSE ISOTROPIC MEDIA

Stiffness loss due to the presence of multiple penny-shaped cracks in the transverse plane of a transversely isotropic medium is calculated using the self-consistent approach. Unlike most of the previously available models which assume the medium to be isotropic, the present paper allows the medium to be transversely isotropic, thus the model can effectively simulate cracks in a unidirectionally reinforced fiber composite. The analysis is made possible by the extensive use of symbolic algebra software which can handle formulas analytically. Numerical examples show that anisotropy of the matrix phase plays an important role in the determination of stiffness loss.