Composites Part B: Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Multifunctional polydimethylsiloxane composites with interpenetrating conductive segregated network for exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding","authors":"Weirui Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhongjie He ,&nbsp;Sijie Yu ,&nbsp;Yangyang Xin ,&nbsp;Fangfang Su ,&nbsp;Dongdong Yao ,&nbsp;Yudeng Wang ,&nbsp;Yaping Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112989","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112989","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) segregated composites incorporating MXene as a conductive filler were demonstrated significant advancements in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. However, the EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) at low conductive filler contents remains a challenge that requires further optimization. In this work, PDMS@MXene microspheres were prepared via electrostatic interactions and then integrated with silver nanowires (AgNWs) to construct a PDMS@MXene/AgNWs interpenetrating conductive network. Subsequently, the PDMS@MXene/AgNWs (PMA) composites were fabricated by infiltrating the PDMS matrix into the interpenetrating network. Within the PMA conductive composites, MXene nanosheets formed a continuous conductive network, while AgNWs served as bridging connectors to enhance charge transfer efficiency. Notably, the PMA composite at low conductive filler loading of 7.12 wt% achieved an electrical conductivity of 118.60 S m⁻¹ and an impressive EMI shielding efficiency/thickness (EMI SE/d) of 39.33 dB mm⁻¹. Furthermore, the PMA composite exhibited exceptional EMI shielding stability under various harsh environments, including extreme temperatures and acidic/basic chemical environments. Additionally, the photothermal conversion performance of the PMA composite and the capacitive sensing performance of sensors based on PMA composites highlighted their potential applications in body temperature regulation and information transmission. This work provides a promising approach for designing PDMS-based multifunctional EMI shielding composites, which hold great promise for wearable electronic devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112989"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silane-nanoSiO2 composite surface modification of steel fibres: A multiscale experimental study of fibre-UHPC interfaces","authors":"Jiefu Tian ,&nbsp;Yaqi Li ,&nbsp;Guojun Yang ,&nbsp;Meini Su ,&nbsp;Zhenjun Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112999","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112999","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An innovative silane-nanoSiO₂-based surface modification technique for steel fibres was developed recently and proved promising to significantly enhance the strength of ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). This study aims to further elucidate the fibre-UHPC interfacial modification mechanisms through extensive fibre pullout tests and advanced nano/micro characterization techniques. The FTIR and EDS tests revealed higher Fe–O–Si and Si–O–Si covalent bonds in the composite coating, supporting a proposed chemical modification mechanism. The SEM and WLI tests showed uniform dispersion of nanoSiO₂ particles and a 16.3 % increase in surface roughness compared with brass coating. The double-sided pullout tests on 27 specimens with nine parallel embedded fibres demonstrated that bond strength and pullout energy of composite-coated fibres increased with curing age, reaching 14.7 MPa and 0.12J at 28 days, which were 345 % and 222 % higher than brass-coated fibres, respectively. The μXCT scans revealed that the composite coating reduced the thickness, porosity, and weighted average pore diameter of interfacial transition zone (ITZ) by 37.5 %, 43.3 %, and 47.6 %, respectively, compared with brass coating. Fibres with composite coating were fully covered by the UHPC matrix, with bumpy tunnels surrounded by dispersed cracks, unlike smooth tunnels in silane or brass-coated fibres. The XRD and TGA tests indicated that the composite coating accelerated the hydration process and led to more C–S–H hydrates and thus much denser ITZ and much stronger interfacial bond than the silane or brass coating alone.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112999"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative life cycle energy assessment of lightweight multi-material metal-fiber composite hybrid body-in-white designs","authors":"Amit Makarand Deshpande ,&nbsp;Urjit Lad ,&nbsp;Sai Aditya Pradeep ,&nbsp;Ningxiner Zhao ,&nbsp;Leon M. Headings ,&nbsp;Marcelo J. Dapino ,&nbsp;Ryan Hahnlen ,&nbsp;Gang Li ,&nbsp;Michael Carbajales-Dale ,&nbsp;Kevin Simmons ,&nbsp;Srikanth Pilla","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.113000","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.113000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lightweighting is crucial for enhancing vehicle efficiency and reducing tailpipe emissions. Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites for the Body-in-White (BIW) are a major research focus aimed at achieving lightweighting. FRP composite manufacturing processes, such as vacuum infusion or automated fiber placement, cannot meet the automotive industry's rates, cycle times and large production volumes. From a cost standpoint, as component size and scale of manufacturing increase, material cost becomes the dominant factor in production, inhibiting the use of expensive composite materials. Thus, multi-material structural designs have taken center stage, where lightweight materials and high-rate composite manufacturing processes are strategically used in conjunction with traditional metallic designs.</div><div>A highly integrated multi-material, FRP-intensive BIW design was developed using unique multi-material metal-fiber transition joints that enable spot welding of composite parts. This allows a multi-material BIW to be manufactured with minimal change to the vehicle manufacturer's assembly and joining infrastructure, presenting a cost-effective solution to integrate composites. From a sustainability standpoint, the life cycle impact of these multi-material designs and composite manufacturing methodologies must be investigated and compared with contemporary sheet-metal designs. A comprehensive comparative life cycle energy assessment has been performed on the proposed multi-material designs manufactured using fast-cycle composite manufacturing processes. Determining the cumulative energy demand over the entire life cycle of the multi-material BIW provides valuable insights into the material composition of the multi-material BIW. It also helps establish a trade-off between the use of energy-intensive composite materials and the energy savings achieved during the use stage due to lightweighting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"309 ","pages":"Article 113000"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upcycling decommissioned wind turbine blades into high-performance engineering wood composites","authors":"Hualei Zhang,&nbsp;Dekang Zuo,&nbsp;Mengfan Hu,&nbsp;Tiantian Zhang,&nbsp;Hongguang Liu,&nbsp;Li Li,&nbsp;Bin Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112962","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112962","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The disposal of end-of-life Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) from wind turbine blades poses a critical environmental challenge, demanding sustainable upcycling solutions and practical utilization. However, unlocking its reinforcement potential is fundamentally crippled by the chemically inert, low-adhesion epoxy surface, a barrier that has precluded its effective use in high-performance composites. Herein, we introduce a scalable and cost-effective strategy to upcycle this problematic waste into high-performance, multifunctional engineering wood composites (EWC) by overcoming this critical interfacial barrier. A custom-designed mechanical modification process was developed to activate the GFRP surface, creating a rough, porous, and highly wettable interface by selectively removing the inert epoxy resin layer. The optimized EWC-40 composite, incorporating 40 % modified GFRP, demonstrated a remarkable synergy of properties, including a flexural strength (90.47 MPa) and internal bonding strength (1.56 MPa) that vastly surpass those of conventional wood panels. Crucially, the composite also exhibited superior fire safety, with a 26.5 % reduction in the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and a 45 % reduction in total smoke production (TSP). Furthermore, it demonstrated outstanding durability, not only retaining excellent mechanical integrity after aggressive accelerated aging cycles but also achieving the highest durability rating (Class I) in a decay resistance assay with 83.2 % less mass loss than the control. This study establishes a cost-effective and industrially viable pathway for upcycling GFRP waste into superior structural materials and, more broadly, demonstrates that targeted mechanical activation is a powerful platform technology for valorizing a wide range of challenging thermoset composite wastes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112962"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144997225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interlayer modulation in layered δ-MnO2 for high-performance Ca-ion storage in aqueous batteries","authors":"Shihao Li,&nbsp;Chuanzheng Zhu,&nbsp;Mengdan Tian,&nbsp;Ruihang Wen,&nbsp;Qi Jiang,&nbsp;Wenhui Li,&nbsp;Renshuo Ding,&nbsp;Kun Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aqueous Ca-ion batteries (ACIBs) are seen as a member of the emerging energy storage technologies owing to their cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. Nevertheless, the application of traditional cathode materials for ACIBs is limited by inadequate specific capacity and low cycle durability. Among multiple cathodes, manganese oxides with a high capacity in theory are proper to be excellent prospects for ACIBs. In this work, the interlayer spacing in layered δ-MnO₂ is effectively modulated via the pre-intercalation of metal ions (Zn²⁺ or Ca²⁺) into the layered lattice. Interestingly, the pre-insertion of Zn²⁺ into the layered δ-MnO₂ induces an unusual contraction of interlayer spacing, while the pre-insertion of Ca²⁺ shows an expansion of interlayer spacing. The different variation of layered δ-MnO₂ structure via various metal ions pre-insertion is considered to be a combined result of ionic size and electrostatic interactions. Electrochemical tests exhibit that the Zn–MnO₂ with the contracted interlayer spacing offers an increased reversible capacity of 138.5 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹, which should be credited to the decreased Ca adsorption energy (E_ads) in Zn–MnO₂ according to the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, Zn–MnO₂ cathode demonstrates a prolonged cyclic life of 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g⁻¹ with 85.4 % capacity retention, due to the relatively small volume variation during Ca²⁺ insertion/extraction in the electrochemical reactions. The stable Ca-ion full battery is constructed using Zn–MnO₂ cathode and PPTCDI (poly 3,4,9,10-perylentetracarboxylic diimide) anode, demonstrating a high capacity of 93.2 mAh g⁻¹ at 2.0 A g⁻¹ and outstanding cycling stability. This work introduces the effective interlayer modulation of the layered δ-MnO₂ via foreign metallic ion pre-intercalation to fulfill enhanced Ca²⁺ ion storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112980"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144997231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An improved non-associative plastic flow rule for CF/PEEK thermoplastic composites under low-velocity impact","authors":"Z.B. Guo,&nbsp;P.F. Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites such as CF/PEEK are increasingly used in aerospace structures due to their higher strength and damage tolerance compared to thermoset composites. Existing plasticity models for thermoplastic composites often neglect two critical factors: the hydrostatic pressure effect in the yield function and the dilatant effect in the plastic potential function, leading to inaccurate predictions of impact mechanical behaviors. This study proposes an improved non-associative plastic flow rule that addresses these limitations in the Sun-Chen model for thermoplastic composites under low-velocity impact (LVI). Theoretically, we derive: 1. a hardening law linking the equivalent stress-plastic strain to the uniaxial responses, showing dependence on the off-axis angle, shear stress, and hydrostatic coefficient, independent of the potential function; 2. a transverse plastic Poisson's ratio-based method to calibrate the hydrostatic coefficient in the potential function via the transverse compressive experimental data of thermoplastic composites. The hydrostatic coefficient and shear stress coefficient in the yield function are identified by using the off-axis tensile experimental data of thermoplastic composites. Combining Puck failure criteria and cohesive zone model, the developed model is implemented in ABAQUS-VUMAT to analyze the 150 mm × 100 mm × 2 mm CF/PEEK composite laminates with two stacking sequences under 10J/20J impact energy. Key findings demonstrate that numerical models ignoring hydrostatic pressure overestimate central displacement and plastic dissipation, while underestimating damage dissipation. The incorporation of hydrostatic pressure significantly improves agreement with experimental load-displacement curves and enables precise quantification of deformation mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112969"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145027106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiscale modelling of residual thermal stresses and off-axis bending in 3D braided composites","authors":"Xinyi Song ,&nbsp;Jin Zhou ,&nbsp;Kirk Ming Yeoh ,&nbsp;Di Zhang ,&nbsp;Shenghao Zhang ,&nbsp;Karthikayen Raju ,&nbsp;Xuefeng Chen ,&nbsp;Zhongwei Guan ,&nbsp;Wesley J. Cantwell ,&nbsp;Vincent Beng Chye Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112972","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112972","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the failure of three-dimensional (3D) braided ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) at the structural scale are inherently influenced by their complex braid architecture at the mesoscale, a multiscale modelling method is proposed to investigate the mechanical response and damage evolution of 3D braided CMCs under combined loads induced by off-axis bending. The measured load-displacement response from off-axis three-point bend tests on 3D braided CMCs specimens for different off-axis angles agreed well with the model predictions. The study has identified the sequence and extent of various modes of damage, such as yarn breakage, matrix cracking, and yarn stripping. The multiscale model is also employed to analyze residual thermal stresses and the flexural response of 3D braided CMCs at different temperatures. The results indicate that the stiffness of the composite increases with temperature and peaks around 1000 °C. Above this temperature, the weakening of matrix-fiber interfacial bonding and the accumulation of internal damage results in a gradual decrease in the elastic modulus, with significant reductions observed above 1500 °C. These findings provide insight into the design and optimization of 3D braided CMCs destined for use in high-temperature and complex service environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112972"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cryogenic damage mechanism of CFRP laminates under bending load via in-situ fiber-optic acoustic emission and mode decomposition","authors":"Yi-fan Su ,&nbsp;Sai-nan Wang ,&nbsp;Lian-hua Ma ,&nbsp;Hong Gao ,&nbsp;Hong-shuai Lei ,&nbsp;Wei Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112994","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112994","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The mechanical performance of composite materials under cryogenic environments presents significant challenges to structural reliability. Current limitations in <em>in-situ</em> characterization techniques hinder the comprehensive understanding of damage evolution mechanisms under cryogenic bending loads. To address this, flexural damage behavior of carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminates at temperatures as low as 123 K was systematically investigated using <em>in-situ</em> fiber-optic acoustic emission (AE) testing. A refined damage mode identification method, integrating mode decomposition analysis and a novel deep learning algorithm, was adopted to elucidate the cryogenic damage mechanisms. Results reveal that cryogenic environments significantly reduce the damage initiation strain threshold and compress the temporal intervals between damage modes, thereby promoting homogenization of damage development and the dissipation of mechanical energy. Although cryogenic temperatures strengthen the resin matrix and the bonding at the matrix-fiber interface, matrix embrittlement at 123 K markedly decreases the delamination resistance, serving as the key contributing factor to strength degradation. Notably, the refined damage identification methodology achieves over 99 % classification accuracy in identifying four critical damage modes across different temperature conditions while effectively recovering hidden information related to fiber/matrix debonding and fiber breakage. This study advances the understanding of cryogenic damage mechanisms in composite materials and establishes a robust framework for real-time damage assessment in cryogenic engineering applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112994"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144997230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hybridization in natural fiber composites: Enhanced performance and sustainability","authors":"Sourav Saha ,&nbsp;Sreekanta Das ,&nbsp;Md Zillur Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112986","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112986","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hybridization in natural fiber composites (NFCs) has emerged as a prominent strategy for enhancing mechanical, thermal, and environmental performance while maintaining their inherent ecological benefits. This comprehensive review systematically explores various hybridization approaches, including natural-natural fiber hybrids, natural-synthetic fiber hybrids, and the incorporation of microfillers, macrofillers, and nanofillers. Cutting-edge manufacturing techniques such as vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding, autoclave molding, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) have significantly enhanced composite quality by mitigating critical challenges related to poor fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion, moisture uptake, and variability in mechanical properties. Despite these advances, intrinsic limitations of natural fibers—including interfacial compatibility, moisture-induced degradation, and performance inconsistency—continue to impede widespread adoption. Economic considerations, balancing cost and performance, remain crucial to commercial feasibility. Life cycle assessments consistently underscore the environmental superiority of hybrid NFCs, highlighting their biodegradability and significantly lower carbon footprint relative to conventional synthetic composites. The review further highlights emerging trends toward fully bio-based resins, enhanced nanofiller reinforcements, and improved surface treatments designed to improve durability and scalability. Crucially, the establishment of standardized testing techniques and comprehensive long-term performance data under realistic service conditions is necessary to facilitate industrial integration. The rapid advancement of hybrid NFCs establishes them as promising materials for automotive, aerospace, construction, and biomedical sectors, highlighting the need for a multidisciplinary approach to align performance targets with sustainable development goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112986"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design and testing of an element test specimen for fatigue delamination crack growth initiating at a ply drop","authors":"Xing-Yuan Miao,&nbsp;Nicolai Frost-Jensen Johansen,&nbsp;Ashish K. Bangaru,&nbsp;Malcolm McGugan,&nbsp;Ruben I. Erives,&nbsp;Bent F. Sørensen","doi":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112977","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112977","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this work, we propose an element test specimen to explore the monitoring and predictability of fatigue delamination crack growth from a ply drop. The design procedure to create an element test specimen out of a full composite blade is presented. The focus of this work is on the design challenges of the specimens and the measurement of growth rate of the fatigue delamination crack. An analytical ply drop model is used to determine the design parameters of the element test specimen, i.e. the ply thickness, the thickness of the underlying layers, and the applied load levels. The present element test specimen is designed for cyclic tension–tension loading. During the testing, three damage evaluation methods, digital image correlation (DIC), acoustic emission (AE), and infrared (IR) thermography are applied to track the fatigue delamination crack growth. The growth rate of the fatigue delamination crack is estimated quantitatively from the crack tip displacement fields obtained by DIC and the localisation of events captured by AE sensors, respectively. Results show that after the crack has extended approx. 80 mm, the delamination crack tip propagates at an approx. constant growth rate consistent with steady state as the crack bridging zone is fully-developed. The crack extension values estimated by the three damage evaluation methods are in reasonably good agreement at high strains. However field blades in operation are loaded much lower than the test specimens. In field, AE might be possible for detecting subsurface delamination cracks, but IR thermography from the outside of a rotating blade is likely to be very limited.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10660,"journal":{"name":"Composites Part B: Engineering","volume":"308 ","pages":"Article 112977"},"PeriodicalIF":14.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}