XFEM modelling of open-hole woven fabric kenaf composite plates

Woven fabric kenaf composites offer superior specific stiffness (and strength), renewable, better handling and relatively cheaper than commercial fiber composites counterparts. Current work is carried out to predict the notched strength of woven fabric kenaf fiber reinforced polymer (KFRP) composite plates containing a circular hole. Extended finite element framework is implemented within two-dimensional ABAQUS CAE to implement traction-separation as a constitutive model. The parameter used in constitutive modeling are unnotched strength, σ₀ (which is measured independently) and a single fracture energy value, G_c* was used throughout all modeling framework series. The modeling series covers a range of lay-up types woven fabric kenaf composites lay-ups with notch size of 2.5 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm at the plate centerline. The prediction in current study showed reasonable agreement with experimental datasets.