Experimental investigation on shear damage evolution of 3D woven composites using in situ computed tomography and multi-scale digital image correlation

• Published in: Composite structures 2023-09, Vol.319, p.117159, Article 117159
• Main Authors: Sun, Ruijian, Zheng, Tao, Yao, Yudi, Li, Danyuan, Si, Huiliu, Guo, Licheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D woven composites; Damage evolution; Digital image correlation (DIC); In situ computed tomography (CT)
• ISSN: 0263-8223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.117159

A comprehensive experimental method combining microscope observation, multi-scale digital image correlation (DIC) and in situ computed tomography (CT) is proposed to reveal the complex damage evolution of 3D woven composites under short beam shear (SBS) loading. The surface damage process and the final damage mode of the SBS specimen are observed with a microscope, and the cause of fiber kinking is explained. The global and local strain distributions on the specimen surface are obtained by multi-scale DIC, which explain the causes of weft yarn transverse cracks and interface debonding. Finally, the in situ CT experiment is carried out to identify the reasons for the nonlinear segments of the load–displacement curve and the decline of load bearing capacity of the specimen in the late stage of the experiment. The information obtained by different observation methods is complementary, which is conducive to understanding the complex damage mechanism of 3D woven composites.