The MCT Multiscale Material Characterization Process

Characterize a material for use with MCT and Helius PFA.

Before Helius PFA can be used to model the composite material response, the material must first be subjected to the MCT material characterization process. The MCT material characterization process determines a set of constituent average properties that cause a micromechanical finite element model to predict composite average properties that match measured composite properties. In addition, the MCT material characterization process determines coefficients of the constituent failure criteria that enable measured strengths of the composite material to be predicted by the failure criteria. The objective of this section is to describe the MCT material characterization process.

To perform the MCT material characterization, two different classes of composite material test data are utilized.

1. Measured elastic moduli and measured Poisson ratios of the composite material are utilized to iteratively determine (or optimize) the in situ moduli and in situ Poisson ratios of the individual constituent materials (fiber and matrix).
2. Measured strengths of the composite material are utilized to determine the coefficients of the failure criteria for each of the individual constituent materials.