Investigation of interlaminar shear strength in carbon epoxy and carbon epoxy carbon nanotubes using experimental and finite element technique

The present study concerns experimental and finite element analysis of carbon epoxy and carbon epoxy carbon nanotube composites to estimate interlaminar shear strength. Mechanical properties such as elastic ratios, thickness are varied for double notched specimen and the corresponding deflections and interlaminar shear strengths are estimated by ANSYS. From simple rule of mixtures, equivalent orthotropic material properties are estimated. These properties are provided as input in ANSYS to generate finite element model. Solid layered element is used to model double notch specimen. To estimate the properties of carbon epoxy carbon nanotube composite, initially finite element model of matrix and carbon nanotube is generated by properties individual material properties of both the materials. From the obtained stretch and stress, the equivalent material property of combined matrix and carbon nanotube is achieved. This property is provided as input in simple rule of mixtures to find out the equivalent orthotropic materials are determined. It is inferred that experiment results are in good agreement with results generated by ANSYS. The superiority of the presence of carbon nanotube in the composite is proved from experimental and finite element technique from the estimated fracture parameters.