Micromechanical Elasto‐Plastic‐Damage Analysis of CFRP Composites for Investigation of Combined Temperature and Micro‐Void Induced Degradation

ABSTRACT Manufacturing of fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) composites inevitably leads to the formation of void‐like defects, which reduce overall material integrity. When exposed to elevated temperatures during service, these components undergo additional degradation, further deteriorating their performance. Although several studies in the literature investigate the independent effects of either voids or temperature on the behavior of FRP composites, a clear understanding of their combined influence remains lacking. Toward this end, the present study provides a detailed micromechanical investigation of the effects of void volume fraction and temperature on the carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite under transverse tensile and compressive loading. The influence of experimentally observed temperature‐induced softening of the matrix strength, along with possible thermal degradation of the fiber‐matrix interface, on the response of CFRP with micro‐voids is studied. The results show that the mechanical response in the presence of voids deviates significantly at elevated temperatures compared to that at room temperature. The composite exhibits distinct trends in damage initiation and propagation under different loading modes and void volume fractions, underscoring the importance of studying the effect of matrix voids at different temperatures.