TY - JOUR
T1 - Improved crush energy absorption in 3D woven composites by pick density modification
AU - Neale, Geoffrey
AU - Dahale, Monali
AU - Yoo, Sanghyun
AU - Toso, Nathalie
AU - Mc Garrigle, Cormac
AU - Quinn, JP
AU - Kelly, John
AU - McIlhagger, AT
AU - Archer, E
AU - Harkin-Jones, Eileen
PY - 2020/7/1
Y1 - 2020/7/1
N2 - Although 3D woven composites have exceptional out-of-plane properties, there is a lack of understanding for these materials in crash application in automotive and aerospace industries. To encourage the use of 3D wovens in crashworthy automotive structures, knowledge must be gained so that designers can adjust the highly flexible weave parameters to create tailor-made performance materials. Here we show that fabric pick density causes large changes in progressive failure modes and associated energy absorption, particularly in the dynamic regime, where the quasi-static to dynamic energy absorption loss typical of composites is completely removed. Compression and flexure properties, which are known to be linked to crash performance in composites, are also investigated for these 3D woven layer-to-layer interlock carbon-epoxy composite structures. 3D fabric preforms are manufactured in three different pick densities: 4, 10 & 16 wefts/cm. With a constant warp density of 12 warps/cm from carbon fibres. Increasing the pick density improved specific energy absorption (SEA) even in relatively inefficient progressive failure modes like folding, which has not previously observed in composite materials. SEA values up to 104 J/g (quasi-static) and 93 J/g (dynamic) are recorded. This work shows that minor weft direction (transverse) weave changes can lead to sizeable improvements in warp direction (axial) energy absorption without fundamentally redesigning the weave architecture.
AB - Although 3D woven composites have exceptional out-of-plane properties, there is a lack of understanding for these materials in crash application in automotive and aerospace industries. To encourage the use of 3D wovens in crashworthy automotive structures, knowledge must be gained so that designers can adjust the highly flexible weave parameters to create tailor-made performance materials. Here we show that fabric pick density causes large changes in progressive failure modes and associated energy absorption, particularly in the dynamic regime, where the quasi-static to dynamic energy absorption loss typical of composites is completely removed. Compression and flexure properties, which are known to be linked to crash performance in composites, are also investigated for these 3D woven layer-to-layer interlock carbon-epoxy composite structures. 3D fabric preforms are manufactured in three different pick densities: 4, 10 & 16 wefts/cm. With a constant warp density of 12 warps/cm from carbon fibres. Increasing the pick density improved specific energy absorption (SEA) even in relatively inefficient progressive failure modes like folding, which has not previously observed in composite materials. SEA values up to 104 J/g (quasi-static) and 93 J/g (dynamic) are recorded. This work shows that minor weft direction (transverse) weave changes can lead to sizeable improvements in warp direction (axial) energy absorption without fundamentally redesigning the weave architecture.
KW - 3-Dimensional reinforcement
KW - Impact behaviour
KW - Weaving
KW - Energy absorption
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85082582730&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/improved-crush-energy-absorption-in-3d-woven-composites-by-pick-d
U2 - 10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108007
DO - 10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108007
M3 - Article
VL - 192
JO - Composites Part B: Engineering
JF - Composites Part B: Engineering
SN - 1359-8368
M1 - 108007
ER -