Tensile and Compression Strength Prediction and Validation in 3D-Printed Short-Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

In the current study, a methodology is validated for predicting the internal spatially varying strength properties in a single 3D-printed bead composed of 13%, by weight, carbon-fiber-filled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. The presented method allows for the characterization of the spatially varying microstructural behavior yielding a local anisotropic stiffness and strength that can be integrated in a finite element framework for a bulk estimate of the effective stiffness and strength. The modeling framework is presented with a focus on composite structures made from large area additive manufacturing (LAAM). LAAM is an extrusion-based process yielding components on the order of meters, with a typical raster size of 10 mm. The presented modeling methods are applicable to other short-fiber-reinforced polymer processing methods as well. The results provided indicate the modeling framework yields results for the effective strength and stiffness that align with experimental characterization to within ∼1% and ∼10% for the longitudinal compressive and tensile strength, respectively, and to within ∼3% and ∼50% for the longitudinal compressive and tensile stiffness, respectively.