Off-Axis Creep Recovery of Unidirectional Carbon/Epoxy Composites at High Temperature

Abstract

Off-axis creep recovery behavior after complete unloading during creep at a constant stress is examined for a unidirectional T800H/3631 carbon/epoxy composite laminate at high temperature. Creep and creep recovery tests are performed on plain coupon specimens with four kinds of fiber orientations: 10, 30, 45 and 90°. It is observed that the creep strain appeared at a high stress does not completely recover after full removal of the creep stress, indicating that an irrecoverable creep strain has developed under the prior constant stress loading. Variable stress creep simulations are attempted using the modified kinematic hardening model for homogenized anisotropic inelastic composites in which an accelerated change in kinematic hardening over a certain range of viscoplastic strain is considered. Comparison with experimental results demonstrates that the proposed model can adequately describe the off-axis creep and creep recovery behaviors of the unidirectional composite system under constant and variable stress conditions.