On the mechanical response of randomly reinforced chopped-fibers composites: Data and model

Based on a substantial amount of stiffness and failure data for a randomly reinforced, chopped carbon fiber-strand, polymeric composite, this article presents a mechanics based material model that strives to explain the above phenomena. The model simulates the random geometry of the material and utilizes basic ideas of composite laminate theory to predict material properties and failure. In addition, statistical studies are performed in order to assess aspects of size effects on the measured response of this material.