Visualisation of the 3D Microstructure of a Monodisperse Fibre Assembly Under Uniaxial Compression

Abstract

In this work we visualize the evolution of the 3D microstructure of a mono-disperse nylon fibre floc undergoing uniaxial compression. In total seven stages of compression were visualized using X-ray microcomputed tomography. We observe that at the early stages of compression, densification occurred through sliding and rotation; at later stages, densification occurred though individual fibre deformation. We quantified these images and estimated the density of interparticle contacts ρ_c as a function of the compressive strain ε_c and found that ρ_c ∝ ε³_c