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Investigation of the Z-binder role in progressive damage of 3D woven composites
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Investigation of the Z-binder role in progressive damage of 3D woven composites

Néstor A. Castaneda López
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Nov 2015
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6705
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Abstract

Nondestructive testing Composite Materials Mechanical Engineering
The lack of strengthening or toughening mechanisms in the through-thickness or z-direction in two-dimensional (2D) laminated composite structures result in low mechanical performance for demanding aerospace and automotive applications, among others. To that effect, a 3D woven composite system consisting of z-binders for improved performance has been introduced to potentially provide additional means for enhanced damage tolerance and reduced mechanical property degradation. To investigate the benefits of these novel composite architectures, this work employs a multimodal nondestructive evaluation and characterization approach consisting of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Acoustic Emission (AE) to identify the failure behavior under tensile and fatigue loading conditions. Analyses of local strain patterns are shown to indicate increased transverse reinforcement through different length scales due to the presence of the z-binder in 3D woven composites, as opposed to its 2D counterpart. Complementary data acquired from X-ray micro computed tomography ([mu]CT), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and post-mortem fracture pattern analysis is used to determine specific damage mechanisms for potential applications as damage precursors.

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