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Effects of random microvoid defects on the strength of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites
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DOI：10.1016/j.engfracmech.2026.112088.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Wind turbine blades commonly contain microvoid defects formed during vacuum infusion, which significantly influence the transverse reliability of fiber-reinforced composites. This study establishes periodic representative volume elements (RVEs) with randomly distributed fibers and microvoids to investigate the coupled effects of microvoid volume fraction and fiber volume fraction on transverse strength, damage variability and fracture mechanisms of carbon fiber/ epoxy composites. The matrix is modeled using Drucker-Prager plasticity with ductile damage, and the fiber-matrix debonding is captured via cohesive interfaces. Statistical analyses of 100 random RVEs for each defect level reveal that microvoid volume fraction is the dominant parameter controlling transverse degradation. Increasing microvoid content reduces peak strength, lowers the Weibull shape parameter and induces a clear transition from interface-dominated fracture to microvoid-dominated cracking. We find that the sensitivity of strength to microvoid content is strongly coupled to the fiber volume fraction. At low microvoid levels, increasing the fiber volume fraction enhances stiffness and strength. However, once the micro-void volume fraction exceeds a critical threshold, higher fiber content instead leads to reduced strength. This counterintuitive trend arises because dense fiber packing confines the matrix into thin load-bearing ligaments, thereby magnifying microvoid-induced stress concentration and substantially increasing strength scatter. Line-density metrics of microvoids and fiber-matrix interfaces quantitatively elucidate the competition between matrix-dominated and interface-dominated fracture modes. Overall, the findings highlight the controlling role of microvoid defects and the regulating effect of fiber architecture in governing transverse performance, providing guidance for defect-tolerant design and quality control in composite wind turbine blades.
Keywords:
Microvoid defects
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites
Randomness
Fracture
Weibull statistics
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