Effect of weaving damage on the tensile properties of three-dimensional woven composites

This research paper examines the damage mechanisms and reductions to the tensile properties of E-glass yarns during weaving of three-dimensional (3D) fabrics for polymer-based composites. The paper also assesses the influence of weaving damage to load-bearing glass yarns on the tensile properties of 3D orthogonal woven composites. It is found that damage occurs to yarns at most stages of the 3D weaving process due to abrasion and breakage caused when sliding against the loom machinery. The abrasion damage causes a large reduction (30%) to the tensile strength of the dry woven yarns, although the tensile stiffness remains unaffected. The damage and reduction to the tensile properties of the dry yarns at different weaving stages are described. Tensile studies performed on single yarn/resin composites and larger coupons of 3D orthogonal woven composites reveal that weaving damage is responsible for a significant reduction to the tensile strength.     

Elastic moduli and damage evolution of three-axis woven fabric composites

Three-axis orthogonal woven fabric composites composed of carbon fibres and epoxy resin have been fabricated. Examined from micrographs, the fabric weaving yarns were found to be very slender with aspect ratios ranging from 11–13.6. Based upon the observed geometry, the composite has been modelled by a unit cell comprising wavy yarns. Both elliptical and lenticular cross-sections were adopted to simulate the slender weaving yarns. Taking into account one-dimensional stress concentration and yarn undulation, an iso-phase approach has been developed to analyse the composite elastic moduli. A higher weaving yarn aspect ratio was found to result in a lower modulus. Modulus reduction due to yarn undulation was more significant in weaving directions. Material characterization has been conducted based upon monotonic tensile and three-point flexural tests, and detailed damage mechanisms for both loadings have been examined. The onset of damage under tensile loading was found to be z-axis yarn debonding, followed by debonding and splitting in y-axis yarns. When subjected to flexural loading, yarn debonding, transverse cracking, and interyarn matrix cracking were the dominant damage mechanisms which appeared on specimen tensile sides. Stress transfer among yarns and how it relates to the composite damage have been discussed in detail. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Friction core-spun yarns for electrical properties of woven fabrics

This paper reports a study to develop a spinning method of open-end friction core-spun yarn (OFCY) and its conductive fabric for shielding the electrostatic discharge and electromagnetic applications. To facilitate weaving of stainless steel (SW) and to reduce the material cost, initially OFCY yarn was made from SW core and polyester (PET) and stainless steel staple (SS) fibers, produced by a DREF III open-end friction spinning method. The core-spun yarns were woven into a variety of woven structures, which are made from semi-automatic loom, successfully. The conductive fabrics could be suitable for shielding home electronic and electrical appliances, cellular phones, and digital devices from electromagnetic fields. The variations of EMSE, and ESD of the woven fabric structure, and blend ratio of stainless steel yarns are also described. It has been shown that the EMSE and ESD attenuation of the woven fabric can be tailored in a number of ways including fabric structure, density, and the amount of conductive filler material.     

Assessment of the mechanical properties of a new 3D woven fibre composite material

Fully interlaced 3D fabric is produced by a new weaving technology, and it is here utilised to produce woven carbon fibre preforms, which are then used as reinforcement in composite materials. The purpose of this study is to assess the mechanical performance of this new type of composite material. A prototype loom was used to weave preforms with a rectangular cross-section where all warp and weft yarns were fully interlaced in plain weave. Tensile, compressive, out-of-plane, shear and flexural properties of the composite flat beam specimens were tested. The in-plane stiffness and strength were found to be lower, while the out-of-plane properties were higher compared to conventional 2D laminates. In terms of strength, it was not possible to quantify the difference, since the specimens with 3D woven material exhibited other failure modes than those tested for.     

Analytical study of strength and failure behaviour of plain weave fabric composites made of twisted yarns

A two-dimensional analytical method is presented for the failure behaviour of plain weave fabric composites made of twisted yarns. The studies have been carried out on laminates with different configurations under on-axis uni-axial tensile loading. The cross-sectional area of the yarn was taken to be elliptical and the yarn path was taken to be sinusoidal. Different stages of failure are considered in the analysis. It has been observed that there is no significant reduction in tensile strength properties of plain weave fabric composites as a result of twisting of yarns. For E-glass yarns, twisting of yarns up to 5°, can facilitate ease of fabrication without significantly compromising the strength properties of the woven fabric composites.     

Processing and Properties of Multifunctional Metal Composite Yarns and Woven Fabric

Multifunctional metal composite yarns made of crisscross-section polyester (CSP), antibacterial nylon (AN), and stainless steel wires (SSW) were manufactured using a hollow spindle spinning machine. The core yarn, the inner wrapped yarn, and the outer wrapped yarns were SSW, AN, and CSP, respectively. Process parameters such as wrapping material content obviously influenced the tenacity, elongation, and surface morphology properties of the manufactured multifunctional metal composite yarns. These yarns were then woven into fabrics using a rapier loom. Woven fabric WC-8 was evaluated in terms of its mechanical properties, antibacterial activity, and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE). Results showed that the use of SSW and AN in the metal composite yarns improved the antibacterial and EMSE of the woven fabric. Thus, these metal composite woven fabrics can be used in manufacturing personal protective clothing to protect humans from electromagnetic radiation and bacterial cross-infection.     

2.5D机织复合材料压缩性能实验与数值模拟

为了研究2.5D机织复合材料的压缩损伤和失效机制,验证双尺度渐进损伤有限元数值模拟方法的有效性,对这类复合材料分别沿经纱方向和纬纱方向进行了准静态压缩实验,获得了其相应的应力-应变曲线,并测定了材料的初始弹性模量和极限强度。在此基础上,利用双尺度渐进损伤有限元数值方法模拟分析了材料的压缩应力-应变响应和损伤演化行为,取得了与实验吻合较好的模拟结果。结果表明:2.5D机织复合材料在纬向压缩下的主要失效模式是纬纱的轴向压溃与断裂,可获得相对较高的压缩强度;但在经向压缩下,经纱因弯曲会承受附加弯矩作用,从而对周围基体造成挤压,故在经纱轴向断裂之前容易出现经纱之间基体的压溃和纱线之间的分层开裂,使强度降低,不利于发挥纤维的承载优势。     

Woven fabric reinforcement of cement matrix

The performance of woven fabric reinforced cement was studied to resolve the influence of the structure of the fabric on its reinforcing efficiency. Special fabrics were produced for this study in which the longitudinal (warp) yarn density was kept constant and the perpendicular (fill) yarn density was varied, in the range of 0 to 22 yarns per centimeter. Specimens for flexural and pull out testing were produced from the fabrics and crimped yarns untied from the fabric. Scanning electron microscope tests were carried out to resolve the microstructure of the composite, in particular at the yarn-matrix interface. The results point to three main conclusions: (1) Woven fabric structure improved the bonding capacity as compared to polyethylene monofilament fibers and cement matrix. (2) The crimped structure of the yarns in the fabric plays an important role in this improvement of the bond, providing mechanical anchoring between the woven fabric and the cement matrix. (3) There is an optimal density of fill yarn in the fabric, which causes the higher flexural strength within the tested densities and matrix formulations. This optimum is achieved in the fabric with five fill yarns per centimeter, and it may be accounted for by the fact that at higher density the matrix does not penetrate efficiently into the spaces in the fabric.     

Elastic and damage behavior of three-dimensional woven composites incorporating solid rods

This articles examines the relationship between processing and performance of three-dimensional (3D) woven composites. Four types of fabrics were made with the solid rods incorporated in the axial direction. The first is a 3-axis orthogonal type having yarns in two weaving directions; the second is similar except that no beat-up is applied to the weaving yarns. The third type combines the rods in two directions. The last is a 5-axis type that adds two off-axis yarns to the first type. Both Kevlar and carbon tows were used in the rods and weaving yarns. No pressing force was applied during curing of the vinyl-ester resin to preserve the as-formed fabric configuration. Microstructures of the materials have been observed, and unit cells have been defined to model the composites. The fabric geometry model is adopted for predicting the elastic moduli. Material characterization has been carried out based on flexure and Izod impact tests. The dominant damage modes under the flexural and impact loads have been identified for each type of materials. The concept of weaker-plane that dictates material failure has been introduced for the multi-directionally reinforced composites. Weaving loops on fabric surfaces have been found to play a crucial role in the formation of cracks. Failure and the associated energy-absorbing mechanisms of the present materials have been discussed in detail.     

Research on cotton waterproof and water vapour-permeable fabric

A cotton waterproof and water vapour-permeable fabric has been produced. The high-density fabric was woven on a conventional shuttle loom and key factors affecting the weaving process have been investigated. To weave heavy-duty fabric on a shuttle loom, the take-up, let-off and beat-up mechanisms should be redesigned or reinforced. The fell backward movement during weaving was examined and analysed. The study reveals that when weaving heavy-duty fabrics mechanical problems may be overcome by various mechanical improvements, but the fell backward movement creates problems.     

Effect of Frictions on the Ballistic Performance of a 3D Warp Interlock Fabric: Numerical Analysis

3D interlock woven fabrics are promising materials to replace the 2D structures in the field of ballistic protection. The structural complexity of this material caused many difficulties in numerical modeling. This paper presents a new tool that permits to generate a geometry model of any woven fabric, then, mesh this model in shell or solid elements, and apply the mechanical properties of yarns to them. The tool shows many advantages over existing software. It is very handy in use with an organization of the functions in menu and using a graphic interface. It can describe correctly the geometry of all textile woven fabrics. With this tool, the orientation of the local axes of finite elements following the yarn direction facilitates defining the yarn mechanical properties in a numerical model. This tool can be largely applied because it is compatible with popular finite element codes such as Abaqus, Ansys, Radioss etc. Thanks to this tool, a finite element model was carried out to describe a ballistic impact on a 3D warp interlock Kevlar KM2? fabric. This work focuses on studying the effect of friction onto the ballistic impact behavior of this textile interlock structure. Results showed that the friction among yarns affects considerably on the impact behavior of this fabric. The effect of the friction between projectile and yarn is less important. The friction plays an important role in keeping the fabric structural stability during the impact event. This phenomenon explained why the projectile is easier to penetrate this 3D warp interlock fabric in the no-friction case. This result also indicates that the ballistic performance of the interlock woven fabrics can be improved by using fibers with great friction coefficients.     

A homogenization procedure for the numerical analysis of woven fabric composites

The paper presents a procedure for the numerical evaluation of the mechanical properties of woven fabric laminates. Woven fabrics usually present orthogonal interlaced yarns (warp and weft) and distribution of the fibers in the yarns and of the yarns in the composite may be considered regular. This allows us to apply the homogenization theory for periodic media both to the yarn and to the fabric. Three-dimensional finite element models are used in two steps to predict both the stiffness and the strength of woven fabric laminates. The model includes all the important parameters that influence the mechanical behavior: the lamina thickness, the yarn orientation, the fiber volume fraction and the mechanical characteristics of the components. The capabilities of the numerical model were verified studying the elastic behavior of a woven fabric laminate available in the literature and the ultimate strength of a glass fabric laminate experimentally investigated. The procedure, that can be implemented into commercial finite element codes, appears to be an efficient tool for the design of textile composites.     

Tribological properties of woven para-aramid fabrics and their constituent yarns

The tribological behaviours of woven fabrics made from Kevlar® (DuPont's registered trademark) yarns of different linear densities were compared with the friction properties of their constituent yarns with different surface treatments. The latter were examined with a traditional friction meter, and the woven fabrics were studied with a pin-on-disc tribometer in alternate and continuous sliding mode. Scoured fabrics, a poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-coated fabric, and fabrics made of surface-treated yarns (polysiloxane oil, hydrophobic paraffin or ester oil lubricant) were compared. These treatments are not representative of commercial Kevlar® yarn finishes but are suitable models for simulating various tribological situations. Both the yarn texture and the surface treatment have an influence on friction coefficient values. Relative humidity affects the friction coefficient only in the case of hydrophilic surfaces, whereas hydrophobic surfaces exhibit fairly constant tribological characteristics. The largest impact on friction seems to be evidenced by the linear density factor. This comparative tribological analysis could lead the way to correlations between yarn friction, weaving performance and woven structure tribological characteristics.     

Internal geometry evaluation of non-crimp 3D orthogonal woven carbon fabric composite

Measurements of the internal geometry of a carbon fiber non-crimp 3D orthogonal woven composite are presented, including: waviness of the yarns, cross sections of the yarns, dimensions of the yarn cross sections, and local fiber volume fraction. The measured waviness of warp and fill yarns are well below 0.1%, which shows that the fabric termed here “non-crimp” has nearly straight in-plane fibers as-produced, and this feature is maintained after going through all steps of fabric handling and composite manufacturing. The variability of dimensions of the yarns is in the range of 4–8% for warp and fill directions, while the variability of the yarn spacing is in the range of 3–4%. These variability parameters are lower than respective ranges of variability of the yarn waviness and the cross-sectional dimensions in typical carbon 2D weave and 3D interlock weave composites, which are also illustrated in this work for comparison.     

Engineering Design and Mechanical Property Characterisation of 3D Warp Interlock Woven Fabrics

3D warp interlock fabrics have been used both in composite materials as fibrous reinforcement as well as in protective solutions against impact mainly due to their improved capacity to absorb energy by higher intra-ply resistance to delamination. However, depending on the type of architecture used, the binding warp yarns may provide different types of mechanical behaviour. By the same, the choice of the yarn raw material coupled with the suited 3D warp interlock architecture is still a challenge to solve due to the lack of knowledge on the optimized fabric parameters to be chosen. Thus, to fill this gap, we have designed, produced on same dobby loom and tested different types of 3D warp interlock architectures (O-T 4 3–4 Basket 3–3 and A-T 4 5–4 Twill 6) with different types of raw material (E-glass EC9 900 Tex, para-aramid 336 Tex and flax Tex 500 yarns). Thanks to these tests, it has been highlighted different mechanical behaviours of 3D warp interlock fabrics with the same weave pattern but with different types of yarns (E-glass, flax and para-aramid) both in the warp and weft directions. It has been also revealed that the warp shrinkage of warp yarns inside the woven structure has a major influence on the whole fabric behaviour.     

Simulation of 3D interlock composite preforming

The ply to ply interlock fabric preform enables to manufacture, by R.T.M. process, thick composite parts that are resistant to delamination and cracking. Numerical simulation of interlock reinforcement forming allows to determine conditions for feasibility of the process and above all to know the position of fibres in the final composite part. For this forming simulation, specific hexahedral finite elements made of segment yarns are proposed. Position of each yarn segment within the element is taken into account. This avoids determination of a homogenized equivalent continuous law that would be very difficult considering the complexity of the weaving. Transverse properties of fabric are taken into account within a hypoelastic constitutive law. A set of 3D interlock fabric forming simulations shows the efficiency of the proposed approach.     

A numerical investigation into the influence of fabric construction on ballistic performance

The use of high-performance fibres has made it possible to produce lightweight and strong personal body armour. Parallel to the creation and use of new fibres, fabric construction also plays an essential role for performance improvement. In this research, finite element (FE) models were built up and used to predict the response of woven fabrics with different structural parameters, including fabric structure, thread density of the fabric and yarn linear density. The research confirmed that the plain woven fabric exhibits superior energy absorption over other structures in a ballistic event by absorbing 34% more impact energy than the fabric made from 7-end satin weave. This could be explained that the maximum interlacing points in this fabric which help transmit stress to a larger fabric area, enabling more secondary yarns to be involved for energy dissipation. It was found that fabric energy absorption decreases as fabric is made denser, and this phenomenon becomes more pronounced in a multi-ply ballistic system than in a single-ply system. The research results also indicated that the level of yarn crimp in a woven fabric is an effective parameter in influencing the ballistic performance of the fabrics. A low level of yarn crimp would lead to the increase of the fabric tensile modulus and consequently influencing the propagation of the transverse wave. In addition, it was found that for fabrics with the same level of yarn crimp, low yarn linear density and high fabric tightness were desirable for ballistic performance improvement.     

多层多向层联三维机织复合材料的拉伸性能

设计制备了3种不同结构的多层多向层联三维机织复合材料(M3DAWC),利用非接触式全场应变测量系统和SEM对其拉伸性能进行了研究。研究表明,织物结构对M3DAWC的宏观力学行为有重要的影响,沿0°方向拉伸,破坏模式随着斜向纱体积分数的增加,从齐口破坏演变为斜向纱的抽拔失效,沿90°方向拉伸,破坏模式基本一致,表现为斜向纱的抽拔和滑脱。同时,斜向纱体积分数对M3DAWC的拉伸强度和拉伸模量也有显著影响,沿0°方向拉伸,随着斜向纱体积分数的增加,拉伸强度和拉伸模量逐渐减小,沿90°方向拉伸则表现出相反的变化规律。      

Effects of Woven Fabric Geometry on the Bonding Performance of Cementitious Composites: Mechanical Performance

The effect of the geometry of woven fabrics on the bond between monofilament polyethylene yarns and cement matrix was studied in the present work. The fabrics were all plain weave, with varied fills density: 5, 7, or 10 fills per cm; the warps’ density was kept constant at 22 warps per cm. The interfacial bond was evaluated by pullout tests. To characterize the influence of the fabric’s geometry on bond performance, the influence of different parameters of the fabric’s geometry that may affect bond were separated: (1) pullout of a single crimped yarn untied from the fabric to characterize the influence of the shape of the individual crimped yarn; (2) pullout of a single yarn from free fabric (not embedded in the cement matrix); and (3) pullout of a yarn from a fabric embedded in the cement matrix. Straight yarns were also tested for comparison. It was found that the woven fabric provided a considerably better bond to the cementitious matrix than the bond of a single straight yarn. The crimped geometry of the yarn in the fabric was found to have a significant influence on increasing the bond between the woven fabric and the cementitious matrix.     

Micro-CT analysis of internal structure of sheared textile composite reinforcement

Simple shear is a deformation mechanism typical for a woven fabric during draping. The mesoscopic internal structure of the fabric differs between the non-deformed state and a sheared state. This paper presents an analysis of the internal structure of woven fabrics in a sheared state based on micro-CT (X-ray micro computed tomography) imaging of the internal structure of woven fabrics in a sheared state. Two methods for the analysis of the fabric geometry are used: automatic mapping of the local fibre directions based of the micro-CT image analysis and manual measurements of the yarns cross section shape, size and middle line coordinate of yarns on the micro-CT images. Changes of the fibre orientations within the yarns and of the yarn geometrical parameters in a carbon fibre twill woven fabric before and after shear deformation are quantified.