Fiber orientation tensors are established descriptors of fiber orientation states in (thermo-)mechanical material models for fiber-reinforced composites. In this paper, the variety of fourth-order orientation tensors is analyzed and specified by parameterizations and admissible parameter ranges. The combination of parameterizations and admissible parameter ranges allows for studies on the mechanical response of different fiber architectures. Linear invariant decomposition with focus on index symmetry leads to a novel compact hierarchical parameterization, which highlights the central role of the isotropic state. Deviation from the isotropic state is given by a triclinic harmonic tensor with simplified structure in the orientation coordinate system, which is spanned by the second-order orientation tensor. Material symmetries reduce the number of independent parameters. The requirement of positive-semi-definiteness defines admissible ranges of independent parameters. Admissible parameter ranges for transversely isotropic and planar cases are given in a compact closed form and the orthotropic variety is visualized and discussed in detail. Sets of discrete unit vectors, leading to selected orientation states, are given.

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Common cruciform specimen for biaxial tensile testing of sheet moulding compound, take damage and finally fail in uniaxially loaded areas. When using these specimen, an observation of damage initialization and failure in biaxially loaded areas is, therefore, not possible. In this paper, a parametric shape optimization is described to find a more suitable specimen shape. The parametrization of the specimen is presented. Objective functions are introduced to measure the appropriateness of specimen. A weighted summation transfers the constraint multiobjective optimization problem into a constraint scalar-valued problem. Findings of experiments suggest that a specimen shape with straight, non-tapering arms and slits along the arms is reasonable.

Fiber orientation tensors represent averaged measures of fiber orientations inside a microstructure. Although, orientation-dependent material models are commonly used to describe the mechanical properties of representative microstructure, the influence of changing or differing microstructure on the material response is rarely investigated systematically for directional measures which are more precise than second-order fiber orientation tensors. For the special case of planar orientation distributions, a set of admissible fiber orientation tensors of fourth-order is known. Fiber orientation distributions reconstructed from given orientation tensors are of interest both for numerical averaging schemes in material models and visualization of the directional information itself. Focusing on the special case of planar orientations, this paper draws the geometric picture of fiber orientation distribution functions reconstructed from fourth-order fiber orientation tensors. The developed methodology can be adopted to study the dependence of material models on planar fourth-order fiber orientation tensors. Within the set of admissible fiber orientation tensors, a subset of distinct tensors is identified. Advantages and disadvantages of the description of planar orientation states in two- or three-dimensional tensor frameworks are demonstrated. Reconstruction of fiber orientation distributions is performed by truncated Fourier series and additionally by deploying a maximum entropy method. The combination of the set of admissible and distinct fiber orientation tensors and reconstruction methods leads to the variety of reconstructed fiber orientation distributions. This variety is visualized by arrangements of polar plots within the parameter space of fiber orientation tensors. This visualization shows the influence of averaged orientation measures on reconstructed orientation distributions and can be used to study any simulation method or quantity which is defined as a function of planar fourth-order fiber orientation tensors.

The Python package mechkit is a toolkit for researchers in the field of continuum mechanics and material modeling. mechkit contains methods and operators for elementary tasks concerning tensor algebra and tensor notation, e.g., linear mapping, base transformations and active as well as passive transformations of tensors.