{"title":"3D observation of delamination in carbon-fibre-reinforced composites under mode II loading through in situ computed tomography","authors":"Panayiotis Tsokanas, Thanasis Chatziathanasiou, Yentl Swolfs","doi":"10.1016/j.jcomc.2025.100615","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Delamination is among the most prevalent life-limiting failure modes in laminated composites. Mode II delaminations, driven by in-plane shear loads, are more difficult to observe than mode I delaminations. Conventional edge observation techniques fail to capture the three-dimensional (3D) delamination front and its associated damage mechanisms. We conduct the first in situ X-ray computed tomography (CT) experiment to observe the 3D development of delamination under mode II loading. We apply four-point end-notched flexure loading to two types of thin-ply, carbon-fibre-reinforced composite laminates: a 0° laminate and a cross-ply laminate susceptible to delamination migration. The method is proven capable of capturing delamination growth and migration within the bulk of the laminates at the meso- and microscale, something unattainable using conventional techniques. This work thus demonstrates the benefits of in situ CT in determining the damage mechanisms involved in mode II fracture loading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34525,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part C Open Access","volume":"17 ","pages":"Article 100615"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Composites Part C Open Access","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682025000581","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, COMPOSITES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Delamination is among the most prevalent life-limiting failure modes in laminated composites. Mode II delaminations, driven by in-plane shear loads, are more difficult to observe than mode I delaminations. Conventional edge observation techniques fail to capture the three-dimensional (3D) delamination front and its associated damage mechanisms. We conduct the first in situ X-ray computed tomography (CT) experiment to observe the 3D development of delamination under mode II loading. We apply four-point end-notched flexure loading to two types of thin-ply, carbon-fibre-reinforced composite laminates: a 0° laminate and a cross-ply laminate susceptible to delamination migration. The method is proven capable of capturing delamination growth and migration within the bulk of the laminates at the meso- and microscale, something unattainable using conventional techniques. This work thus demonstrates the benefits of in situ CT in determining the damage mechanisms involved in mode II fracture loading.