A shear-lag model to account for interaction effects between inclusions in composites reinforced with rectangular platelets

A new micromechanical model based on shear-lag theory is developed which incorporates the interaction effects of rectangular-platelet-shaped reinforcing material. The effects of matrix modulus and volume fraction on the shear and axial stress transfer are investigated. The effect of aspect ratio, volume fraction and the amount of overlap of the platelets on the elastic modulus of the composite are examined. The axial load transfer is shown to be similar to that obtained by finite-element analysis (FEA). The interfacial shear stress transfer in the model differs from FEA results at the lower volume fractions whereas at the higher volume fractions it is similar. The elastic modulus derived from the model is generally lower than that derived by FEA. The theory is used to model the micromechanical behavior of bone tissue at the ultrastructural level wherein the bone mineral platelets are overlapped in an organic matrix.