Numerical model for large-scale properties of composites

We present a numerical model for the study of mechanical properties of short-fibre reinforced elastic composites with adjustable coupling between fibres and the matrix. In the model, the background matrix is described on a coarse-grained level, which allows one to study the effect of fibrous structure on fracture properties of the material. The adjustable coupling in the fibre/matrix interface, on the other hand, allows one to simulate the effect of Coulomb-friction-like stress transfer mechanisms, an important aspect of many modern composite materials. We test the model by comparing bundle-like fibre placement with a homogeneous and isotropic one. Using these systems, we deduce the relative effectiveness of stress transfer from macroscopic characteristics of a material.