The fiber composite with nonlinear interface—part i: Axial tension

This paper treats the effective axial tension response of a composite consisting of fibers that debond from the matrix according to nonlinear Needleman-type cohesive zones. A second, related paper (Part II) treats effective antiplane shear response. The composite cylinders representation of a representative volume element (RVE) is employed throughout. For axial tension loading a simple rotationally symmetric boundary value problem for a single composite cylinder is solved. Bounds on the total potential energy and the total complementary energy are shown to coincide and an exact solution for axial extension and Poisson contraction of an RVE of the composite is obtained. Nonlinear interfacial debonding, however, is shown to have a negligible effect on extensional response and only a small, though potentially destabilizing, effect on Poisson contraction response.