Terahertz spectroscopy approach of the fiber orientation influence on CFRP composite solid laminates

Terahertz ray (T-ray) imaging applications have provided one of the most promising new powerful nondestructive evaluation techniques, and new application systems are under process development for area applications. Detecting flaws and defects in fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite laminates due to flaws in FRP composite laminate that affect laminate properties, including stiffness, strength, and thermal behavior, is very important. In this study, a new time-domain spectroscopy system was utilized for detecting and evaluating the flaws in FRP solid composite laminates. Extensive experimental measurements in reflection mode were made to map out T-ray images. In particular, electromagnetic properties, such as refractive index, were estimated in this characterization procedure. The estimates of properties were in good agreement with known data. Using these characteristic material properties, we successfully demonstrated the characteristics of the T-ray behavior propagating through FRP composites. Furthermore, layup effect and flaws of FRP composite laminates were observed in reflection mode, and limitations were discussed in the T-ray processing.     

Pitch-catch ultrasonic study on unidirectional CFRP composite laminates using Rayleigh wave transducers

The importance of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) has been generally recognized, and CFRP composite laminates have become widely used. Thus, a nondestructive technique would be very useful for evaluating CF/epoxy composite laminates. A pitch-catch UT signal is more sensitive than is a normal incidence backwall echo of a longitudinal wave in composites. The depth of the sampling volume where the pitch-catch UT signal came from is relatively shallow, but the depth can be increased by increasing the separation distance of the transmitting and receiving probes. Moreover, a method is utilized to determine the porosity content of a composite lay-up by processing micrograph images of the laminate. The porosity content of a composite structure is critical to the overall strength and performance of the structure. The image processing method developed utilizes software to process micrograph images of the test sample. The results from the image processing method are compared with existing data. Beam profile is characterized in unidirectional CFRP using pitch-catch Rayleigh probes. The one-sided and two-sided pitch-catch techniques are utilized to produce C-scan images with the aid of an automatic scanner. The pitch-catch ultrasonic signal corresponds with the simulated results of unidirectional CFRP composites.     

Impact damages and residual bending strength of CFRP composite laminates subjected to impact loading

The purpose of this study is to confirm the decreasing in residual bending strength, and the failure mechanisms experimentally when CFRP composite laminates are subjected to foreign object damage (FOD). Composite laminates used in this test are CFRP orthotropic laminated plates, which are stacked with two-interfaces [0^o ₆/90^o ₆] _sym and four-interfaces [0^o ₃/90^o ₆/0^o ₃] _sym . When the specimen was subjected to transverse impact by a steel ball, the delamination area generated by the impact damage was observed by using the SAM (scanning acoustic microscope). Also, the fracture surfaces obtained by three-point bending test were observed by using the SEM (scanning electron microscope). Further, failure mechanisms were investigated based on the observed delamination areas and fracture surfaces.     

Effects of cutting edge radius and fiber cutting angle on the cutting-induced surface damage in machining of unidirectional CFRP composite laminates

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite laminates are anisotropic, inhomogeneous, and mostly prepared in laminate form before undergoing the finishing operations. The edge trimming process is considered as one of the most common finishing operations in the industrial applications. However, the laminate surface is especially prone to damage in the chip formation process, and the most common damage mode is burrs. Burrs may increase cost and production time because of additional machining; they can also damage the surface integrity. Many studies have been done to address this problem, and techniques for reducing burr size in material removal process has been the focus of the research. Nonetheless, the combined effects of the cutting edge radius and the fiber cutting angle on the burr formation have seldom been conducted, which in turn restricts to find out the mechanism of burr formation. The purpose of the present paper is to study the particular mechanism that leads to burr formation in edge trimming of CFRP laminates and investigate the effects of fiber cutting angle and cutting edge radius on burr formation. The results indicate that the burrs are prone to form in the fiber cutting angle range of 0° < χ < 90° when a large cutting edge radius of the tool is used for both milling and drilling of CFRP composites.     

Investigation on delamination morphology during drilling composite laminates

Drilling-induced delamination of composite materials is a key factor that affects the quality of subsequent machining. To investigate the developing process of delamination, experiments with different drilling depth are conducted. In order to observe the delamination of different cross-sections in radial direction of the hole, the grinding method is adopted. Three-dimensional morphology of delamination at the exit of hole is obtained. The regularity of delamination with the change of drilling depth is analyzed, and the existence of “hidden delamination zone” is obtained finally. Due to the rebound effect of hole diameter and the inverted cone of drill guide section, the “hidden delamination zone” will be generated under the condition that the edge of delamination area is compressed tightly again. The critical thrust force of delamination is also studied, and it is proved to be correct.     

Some observations on the interlaminar strength of composite laminates

Definition of the influence of interlaminar stresses on the failure characteristics of composite laminates may require the development of novel experimental characterization procedures. The so-called free edge problem in laminate elasticity offers a cnovenient mechanism to accomplish this purpose because of the high interlaminar stresses in the neighbourhood of a free boundary. The detailed design of a laminate specimen which can exhibit catastrophic delamination induced by interlaminar tension is presented, along with a preliminary failure hypothesis to characterize this mode of rupture and the associated experimental demonstration of the phenomena.     

On impact damage detection and quantification for CFRP laminates using structural response data only

The overall purpose of the research is to detect and attempt to quantify impact damage in structures made from composite materials. A study that uses simplified coupon specimens made from a Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) prepreg with 11, 12 and 13 plies is presented. PZT sensors were placed at three separate locations in each test specimen to record the responses from impact events. To perform damaging impact tests, an instrumented drop-test machine was used and the impact energy was set to cover a range of 0.37–41.72 J. The response signals captured from each sensor were recorded by a data acquisition system for subsequent evaluation. The impacted specimens were examined with an X-ray technique to determine the extent of the damaged areas and it was found that the apparent damaged area grew monotonically with impact energy. A number of simple univariate and multivariate features were extracted from the sensor signals recorded during impact by computing their spectra and calculating frequency centroids. The concept of discordancy from the statistical discipline of outlier analysis is employed in order to separate the responses from non-damaging and damaging impacts. The results show that the potential damage indices introduced here provide a means of identifying damaging impacts from the response data alone.     

高强度型T800S/250F CFRP的制孔缺陷研究

为了研究T800S/250F CFRP的制孔缺陷,采用CVD涂层麻花钻和CVD涂层匕首钻进行了钻削实验.结果表明:进给率(f)的增大将加剧制孔表面的毛刺缺陷和分层损伤;高速、低进给钻削能够有效地提高制孔出口表面质量,减小毛刺缺陷和分层损伤;与CVD涂层麻花钻相比,CVD涂层匕首钻能够获得更小的制孔表面缺陷(毛刺和分层损伤),具有更优异的制孔性能,更适合高强度型T800S/250F的钻削加工.     

Analytical scanning electron microscopy for solid surface

A scanning electron microscope of ultra-high-vacuum (UHV-SEM) with a field emission gun (FEG) is operated at the primary electron energies of from 100 eV to 3 keV. The instrument can form the images that contain information on surface chemical composition, chemical bonding state (electronic structure), and surface crystal structure in a microscopic resolution of several hundred angstroms (Å) using the techniques of scanning Auger electron microscope, scanning electron energy loss microscope, and scanning low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) microscope. A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) also has been combined with the SEM in order to obtain the atomic resolution for the solid surface. The instrumentation and examples of their applications are presented both for scanning LEED microscopy and STM.     

Elasto-plastic damage model considering cohesive matrix interface layers for composite laminates

A three-dimensional (3D) Finite element (FE)-based progressive damage model, which considers the interface matrix layer between two neighboring laminae as a layer of cohesive elements, is proposed to analyze laminated composite plates. An elasto-plastic damage model is integrated with the FE-based program ABAQUS that uses user-defined material subroutine. The present damage model includes fiber failure, matrix failure, and delamination effects. A cohesive zone model, which is available in ABAQUS and uses cohesive elements, is combined with the proposed model to address the delamination damage in the interface layers. 3D solid brick elements are used to model composite layers, and cohesive zone elements are used in between two composite layers to model the adhesive layers. The proposed model has been applied for the progressive damage simulation of AS4/PEEK composite laminates under in-plane and uniaxial tensile loading.     

Freeze-substitution techniques for preparing nematodes for scanning electron microscopy

The effect of different substitution times, temperatures and the incorporation of fixatives on the preservation of three species of nematode for scanning electron microscopy by freeze substitution with methanol, followed by critical point drying, is investigated. Hammerschmidtiella diesingi adults and Trichostrongylus colubriformis infective juveniles were successfully preserved using methanol at 253 K as the substitution medium. Preservation deteriorated with long substitution times, suggesting the extraction of material and that substitution times should be kept as brief as possible. Panagrolaimus davidi was not successfully preserved using pure methanol, but preservation was improved by using fixatives in the substitution medium, the best results being obtained with 1% OsO₄/3% glutaraldehyde in methanol. A substitution temperature of 193 K did not give any improvement in preservation. The differences in the quality of preservation between the three species may be due to the relative ability of the cuticle to withstand collapse during critical point drying. Chemical fixation using cold fixative resulted in the retention of a natural posture but poor preservation, whereas hot fixatives resulted in good preservation but the loss of a natural posture. Freeze substitution in methanol may prove useful in the preparation of specimens possessing cuticles or cell walls which have sufficient strength to withstand the drying process (e.g. arthropods, plants, fungi, nematodes). More delicate specimens may require the incorporation of fixatives into the substitution medium or conventional fixation.     

A genetic algorithm for the optimization of fiber angles in composite laminates

A genetic algorithm for the optimization of composite laminates is proposed in this work. The well-known roulette selection criterion, one-point crossover operator, and uniform mutation operator are used in this genetic algorithm to create the next population. To improve the hill-climbing capability of the algorithm, adaptive mechanisms designed to adjust the probabilities of the crossover and mutation operators are included, and the elite strategy is enforced to ensure the quality of the optimum solution. The proposed algorithm includes a new operator called the elite comparison, which compares and uses the differences in the design variables of the two best solutions to find possible combinations. This genetic algorithm is tested in four optimization problems of composite laminates. Specifically, the effect of the elite comparison operator is evaluated. Results indicate that the elite comparison operator significantly accelerates the convergence of the algorithm, which thus becomes a good candidate for the optimization of composite laminates.     

复合材料层合板首末层失效强度的预测方法研究

建立复合材料的三维有限元模型,该模型能有效计算自由边界区的应力以及层间应力,与二维模型相比提高了求解精度;采用Tsai-Wu张量理论作为单元失效的判断依据,引入安全系数计算首层失效,然后使用增量法求解复合材料最终失效强度,使得求解速度加快的同时又不影响求解精度;使用正交实验方法研究不同刚度缩减系数( SCR)对首末层失效强度的影响,发现在进行渐进失效分析时,有限元模型是否合理应该根据首层失效强度与实验值进行比较,不能只考虑最终失效强度与实验值的差异.     

数字切片扫描技术浅析

详细阐述了现有4种数字切片扫描技术的原理及特点,并对比了优缺点。其中微物镜阵列扫描方案速度快,但实现复杂,成本高;线扫方案可以实现较快的速度,但对控制要求也较高,也容易出现扫描失败的问题;基于面阵传感器扫描的方案,实现较为简单,灵活性较好,可工作于连续运动和走停两种模式,连续运动模式可以提供与线扫接近的扫描速度,走停模式可以提高扫描成功率并获得更好的图像质量。     

Effect of prestress level on the strength of CFRP composite laminate

The effect of fiber prestressing has been investigated on the tensile strength, modulus strength, flexural properties and residual stresses of Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. Unidirectional carbon fiber in an epoxy resin has been examined under different prestressing levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 80 MPa) at ambient temperature and 50 % fiber volume fraction. A new method was implemented to produce the prestressed laminates for several standard tests. The results showed that prestressing on 3-ply unidirectional carbon fibers improved the fiber tensile strength to 99 % and the tensile modulus to 31 %. Similarly on 8-ply unidirectional carbon fibers has improved the fiber flexural strength to 63 % and flexural modulus to 81 %. A new technique was used to measure the residual stresses and tensile modulus of the composite laminate by recording the final extension and the remaining load directly after the curing process and releasing the applied load.

     

指定摩擦系数下富锌漆漆膜厚度的计算研究

对富锌漆接触面间的摩擦系数进行了测量,结果表明：不同处理方式的富锌漆接触面间的摩擦系数差异较大,并且摩擦系数与接触面积成正比。对某2 MW风机主轴与轮毂栓接面间异响的研究表明：喷砂后球型无机富锌漆接触面间的摩擦系数有时可接近于0。通过推导栓接面间的摩擦系数与粗糙度的数学解析表达式,结合球型无机富锌漆膜厚度与粗糙度在一定条件下近似相等的特性,找到了一种指定摩擦系数下富锌漆漆膜厚度的计算方法,保证了栓接面间在喷涂富锌漆后其摩擦系数的可靠性和可计算性。通过测量某塑性材料的摩擦系数,得到了一种简洁的估算该塑性材料的临界应力强度因子的方法。     

Investigation of the effect of temperature and layup on the press forming of polyvinyl chloride-based composite laminates and fiber metal laminates

Semi-crystalline thermoplastic-based composite laminates and fiber metal laminates have a narrow forming temperature window, which limits formability of these products. The intention of this study was investigation of non-melting amorphous polyvinyl chloride as a proper matrix to increase the formability and forming temperature window of these products. For this, [45/?45] and [0/90] layups of polyvinyl chloride-based composite laminates and fiber metal laminates were produced using the film-stacking procedure and later press formed into channel sections at six temperatures in the range of 80 to 200 °C. The effects of the layups and forming temperatures on the forming loads and spring back of the formed profiles were measured, and their effects on the fiber buckling, wrinkling, and delamination of the profiles were evaluated using optical microscope images. The effects of layups and forming temperatures on the deformation mechanisms were also analyzed using the grid strain analysis method. Of the fiber metal laminates, 160 °C was found as the minimum forming temperature, and for the composite laminates, 120 and 160 °C were found as the minimum proper forming temperatures of [45/?45] and [0/90] layups, respectively. Finally, the forming temperature windows and formability of polyvinyl chloride matrix composite laminates and fiber metal laminates were found higher than semi-crystalline matrices.     

Impact damage and hygrothermal effects on fatigue bending strength of orthotropy composite laminates

This paper focuses on fracture mechanisms experimentally based on the scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) when subjected to impact damages, i. e., foreign object damages (FOD), and also on the influence of impact damages and hygrothermals on residual fatigue bending strength of CFRP laminates. Composite laminates used in the experiments are CF/Epoxy orthotropy laminated plates, [0₄/90₄]_s. A steel ball launched by an air gun impacts on CFRP laminates to generate impact damages. Bending fatigue tests are periodically interrupted for a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) measurement of the progressive damages to build the fracture mechanism based on impact damages, and three-point fatigue bending tests are carried out to investigate the influence of hygrothermals on the effect of the residual bending fatigue strength of CFRP laminates.     

Optimisation techniques for minimising saw teeth deflection and lumber thickness variation

Lumber size control is an essential element in maximising yield and productivity because a small reduction in rough green target size could lead to substantial savings in wood fibre. One of the key components of rough green target size is sawing variation. In this study, the optimum side clearance of band saw teeth leading to a minimum saw teeth deflection and minimum lumber thickness variation of stellite-tipped and swage-set saws when processing Triplochiton scleroxylon a tropical hardwood were examined. It was observed that the accuracy of kerf width was best with stellite-tipped saws. However, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of significance indicates that there was no significant difference between the accuracy of kerf width of stellite-tipped saws and swage-set saws. It also was observed that at 5% level of significance, the mean kerf width of stellite-tipped saws, which was 4.2 mm, was significantly greater than the mean kerf width of 3.06 mm of the swage-set saws. Sawing variation as indicated by standard deviation of lumber thickness was best for the swage-set saws. A quadratic relationship between sawing variation and side clearance of stellite-tipped saws was established. As the side clearance of the saw increases, the sawing variation decreases until it reaches a minimum value and thereafter, further increase in side clearance of the saw teeth results in an increase in sawing variation. It was observed that an optimum side clearance of 0.69 mm under a saw blade thickness of 1.3 mm was required to produce on the average, a minimum value of 0.42 mm for within-board standard deviation, and 0.59 mm for the total standard deviation. An error margin of less than 1% was achieved when the experimental results for the optimum side clearance was compared with a theoretical assertion.     

Improved techniques for measuring the indentation and thickness of articular cartilage

A review of the techniques previously employed in the indentation and measurement of the thickness of articular cartilage has led to new and improved techniques for performing both measurements. By utilizing high-speed, microcomputer-controlled data logging techniques, simultaneous monitoring of signals from a dynamic load cell and a displacement transducer could be made throughout an indentation test. The position of the indenter as it touched the articular surface could thus be determined automatically by identifying the moment at which a positive change in the load signal occurred. Less accurate and more time consuming techniques previously required for determining the position of the cartilage surface were hence avoided. The apparatus also included a critically damped dashpot which prevented any transient loads being applied to the cartilage. Depths of indentation could be measured to an accuracy of 0.005 mm with a measurement repeatability of 2.14 per cent. By replacing the indenter with a sharp needle, the apparatus was also capable of measuring the undeformed thickness of cartilage. An accuracy of +/- 0.012 mm could be achieved with a measurement repeatability of 1.2 per cent. The apparatus is particularly suited to survey work where large numbers of indentation tests are to be performed.