Kink band analysis accounting for the microstructure of fiber reinforced materials

Abstract Failure in compression of uni-directional fiber composites by fiber kinking is analyzed. General rate constitutive equations for fiber composites are formulated. These equations are used in treating fiber kinking as a problem of localization of deformation. The condition for fiber kinking is compared with previously published results for rigid fibers, and some notable differences are reported. The work unifies theories of kink band and shear band formation.