A study is conducted with the aim of evaluating the transverse compressive behaviors of three-dimensional five-directional braided composites based on the meso-scale representative volume cells. Finite element models with three kinds of interior braiding angles, 20°, 30°, and 45°, are established on the basis of the realistic cross-section shape of each yarn. A damage mechanics model, which is implemented by user-defined material subroutines in ABAQUS/Standard, is used to investigate the mechanical responses and the damage initiation/evolution throughout the transverse compression. For the verification of numerical results, a series of transverse compression tests are conducted. Numerical results indicate that the transverse compression strength of three-dimensional five-directional braiding composite is strongly dependent on the matrix properties, and is not very sensitive to the braiding angle. The predicted results show good agreement with the relevant experimental data, demonstrating the applicability of meso-scale finite element model.
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