A multiscale model for tensile response of fique fiber-reinforced composite laminates

Sergio A. Gomez-Suarez; Joszaira Lárez-Natera; Sergio A. Gomez-Suarez; Joszaira Lárez-Natera

doi:10.3934/matersci.2026021

AIMS Materials Science

2026, Volume 13, Issue 3: 410-443. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2026021

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Research article

A multiscale model for tensile response of fique fiber-reinforced composite laminates

Sergio A. Gomez-Suarez ^{1,2
,
,},
Joszaira Lárez-Natera ^3,4

1.
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Km 7 Autopista Vía Piedecuesta, Floridablanca, Santander 681001, Colombia
2.
Doctorate in Engineering Program, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Av. Teherán, Urb. Montalbán, Caracas, Distrito Capital 1020, Venezuela
3.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. Av. Teherán, Urb. Montalbán, Caracas, Distrito Capital 1020, Venezuela
4.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universidad Central de Venezuela. Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas, Av. Los Ilustres, Los Chaguaramos, Caracas, Distrito Capital 1040, Venezuela

Received: 11 March 2026 Revised: 05 May 2026 Accepted: 12 May 2026 Published: 21 May 2026

The incorporation of natural fibers into composite materials has attracted growing interest due to their low cost, regional availability, and reduced environmental impact. However, their adoption in industrial applications remains limited by the absence of reliable predictive models linking constituent properties with the laminate's macroscopic behavior. In this context, this work developed and validated a multiscale predictive model to estimate the tensile behavior of laminates reinforced with fique fiber. The approach first evaluates classical micromechanical predictions (Chamis model) against experimentally characterized ply properties, demonstrating that idealized analytical formulations fail to capture the structural heterogeneity of twisted natural fibers. Consequently, experimentally obtained ply data were used as direct inputs for classical laminate theory (CLT) and finite element method (FEM) simulations to ensure accurate laminate-level predictions. The predictions were experimentally validated according to ASTM D3039 in [0°/90°/0°], [90°/0°/90°], and [90°/0°/45°] configurations. The results showed that the Chamis model systematically underestimates longitudinal strength and overestimates transverse stiffness due to assumptions that do not accurately represent natural fibers. In contrast, when both CLT and FEM were informed by the experimental properties of the unidirectional ply, they achieved predictions consistent with the tests: the combined coefficient of determination of 0.69 for CLT and 0.70 for FEM, with mean absolute errors of 16.65 and 16.04 MPa, respectively.
- biocomposites,
- finite elements,
- fique,
- laminates,
- multiscale modeling
Citation: Sergio A. Gomez-Suarez, Joszaira Lárez-Natera. A multiscale model for tensile response of fique fiber-reinforced composite laminates[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2026, 13(3): 410-443. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2026021

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Abstract

The incorporation of natural fibers into composite materials has attracted growing interest due to their low cost, regional availability, and reduced environmental impact. However, their adoption in industrial applications remains limited by the absence of reliable predictive models linking constituent properties with the laminate's macroscopic behavior. In this context, this work developed and validated a multiscale predictive model to estimate the tensile behavior of laminates reinforced with fique fiber. The approach first evaluates classical micromechanical predictions (Chamis model) against experimentally characterized ply properties, demonstrating that idealized analytical formulations fail to capture the structural heterogeneity of twisted natural fibers. Consequently, experimentally obtained ply data were used as direct inputs for classical laminate theory (CLT) and finite element method (FEM) simulations to ensure accurate laminate-level predictions. The predictions were experimentally validated according to ASTM D3039 in [0°/90°/0°], [90°/0°/90°], and [90°/0°/45°] configurations. The results showed that the Chamis model systematically underestimates longitudinal strength and overestimates transverse stiffness due to assumptions that do not accurately represent natural fibers. In contrast, when both CLT and FEM were informed by the experimental properties of the unidirectional ply, they achieved predictions consistent with the tests: the combined coefficient of determination of 0.69 for CLT and 0.70 for FEM, with mean absolute errors of 16.65 and 16.04 MPa, respectively.

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