Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120684
Yuhang Ren, Hongguang Wang, Jize Mao, Yunpeng Tian, Muhammad Abid
{"title":"Synergistic properties of deep-cryogenic-treated high-entropy alloys and basalt fiber-reinforced ultra-high performance cementitious composites","authors":"Yuhang Ren, Hongguang Wang, Jize Mao, Yunpeng Tian, Muhammad Abid","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120684","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120684","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) faces persistent challenges in achieving synergistic strength and toughness under extreme loads. This study proposes a novel approach: partially substituting quartz sand with deep-cryogenic-treated (DCT) FeCoNiCrCu high-entropy alloys (HEAs) particles and incorporating basalt fibers (BF) for a synergistic effect. The key variables are DCT time, HEAs substitution rate, HEAs particle size, and BF volume fraction. Experiments demonstrate that 48 h DCT induces compressive residual stress in HEA without phase transformation, optimizing the strength-ductility balance. With 20 vol% HEAs substitution (median particle size d<sub>50</sub> = 77.59 μm) and 2 vol% BF, the composite achieves compressive and flexural strengths of 211.02 MPa and 34.47 MPa, respectively. Multi-scale characterization reveals that DCT-activated HEAs particles significantly densify the interfacial transition zone. This densification increases ITZ nano-hardness by 28.55 % via enhanced mechanical interlocking and load transfer. This study integrates machine learning with the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) to develop a GWO-optimized XGBoost model, markedly improving prediction accuracy for compressive and flexural strengths. Feature importance analysis identifies DCT time and HEA substitution rate as the dominant factors influencing HEAs reinforced UHPC (HEA-UHPC) mechanical properties. This experimental-machine learning framework offers a promising pathway for designing next-generation protective UHPC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120684"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148651665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-07-13DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120663
Hossein Darban
{"title":"Modeling compressive instability in two-dimensional Ti2COx MXenes","authors":"Hossein Darban","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In practical applications, MXenes are often subjected to a variety of loads, including compression. While their mechanical response under different loading conditions, such as tensile loading, has been extensively studied, their compressive instability remains largely unexplored. The compressive and post-buckling behavior of Ti<sub>2</sub>C and Ti<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>2</sub> MXene nanosheets is studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and a nonlocal formulation. The employed interatomic potential is first validated against experimental and density functional theory (DFT) data for structural and mechanical properties. The results indicate that classical continuum mechanics underestimates the buckling strains, whereas the nonlocal formulation adequately captures the observed response. A systematic examination of various defect types up to a defect fraction of 3% reveals that while isolated point defects primarily reduce the critical buckling stress, vacancy clusters significantly alter the buckling mode shapes. Lateral confinement pressure and oxygen surface termination substantially increase the buckling stress. Atomistic analysis reveals opposite stress states in the top and bottom Ti layers due to curvature-induced strain gradients. Under biaxial compression, the nanosheet buckles in a dome-like shape, whereas shear loads produce elliptical deflection modes. The presented findings may stimulate future studies on MXene morphological transformations, such as the development of nanotube, nanoscroll, and folded architectures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 120663"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148637510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mesoscale cracking mechanism of high-strength Engineered/Strain-Hardening Geopolymer Composites (EGC/SHGC) with recycled GFRP","authors":"Ling-Yu Xu, Zhi-Liang Zhang, Bo-Tao Huang, Tian-Yu Xie, Dan-Dan Shi, Jian-Guo Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120688","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, High-Strength Engineered Geopolymer Composites (HS-EGC) were developed by incorporating recycled glass fiber-reinforced polymer (rGFRP) powder. A systematic experimental program was performed to evaluate how the rGFRP incorporation affects the mechanical performance, microstructure, cracking behavior, and flaw effects of HS-EGC. Results showed that although the compressive strength dropped under higher rGFRP contents, it remained above 100 MPa even at a 30 % rGFRP replacement. Higher rGFRP contents improved tensile and cracking strengths owing to stronger fiber–matrix bonding and greater matrix toughness. However, excessive fracture toughness reduced strain-hardening capacity and multiple-cracking potential. Microstructural observations revealed that increasing rGFRP replacement ratios reduced geopolymer reaction degree, lowered matrix microhardness, and caused a higher proportion of ruptured fibers. Flaw analysis indicated that, with increasing rGFRP replacement, the characteristic size of active flaws increased while the probability of flaws becoming active decreased, suggesting a more restrictive flaw-activation condition that hinders the development of distributed multiple cracks. Finally, considering both mechanical efficiency and environmental impact, a 10 % rGFRP incorporation offered the most favorable balance. The findings of this research offer valuable insights into the valorization of rGFRP from end-of-life wind-turbine blades (EoL-WTB) recycling and contribute to the development of sustainable and high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120688"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148645947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mode I interlaminar fracture path evolution and mechanism in CFRP composites interleaved with high-loading particles","authors":"Xiao Wang, Yonglyu He, Zhihan Wu, Longbin Liu, Ke Duan, Jianwei Zhang, Qiang Liu, Liaojun Yao, Qingfeng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used in the aerospace industry owing to their high specific strength and modulus. To expand their utility, structure–function integration is increasingly pursued by incorporating high-loading functional fillers into interlaminar resin-rich regions. However, the interlaminar behavior of such highly filled composites is complex, and their Mode I interlaminar fracture characteristics and crack propagation mechanism remain poorly understood. To fill this gap, specimens with varying high particle mass fractions were fabricated via a multi-layer resin film infusion (MLRFI) process, to systematically investigate the effects of highly filled particles on their Mode I interlaminar fracture behavior and crack propagation mechanism. Results show that 33.3 vol% filler loading only induced local crack deflection with limited toughening effect. At 50 vol% filler loading, the crack propagation mode shifted from interlaminar-dominated to synergistic interlaminar-intralaminar propagation, fully activating energy dissipation mechanisms and increasing Mode I fracture toughness by 70.5%. Conversely, excessive 60 vol% filler loading introduced numerous weak interfaces, leading to an interlaminar-dominated crack path and reduced fracture resistance. Furthermore, a high-fidelity embedded finite element model (EFEM) was established, which reveals how interleaved high-loading particles mediate composite damage evolution, providing a reliable reference for interlaminar cracking prediction in such composites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120716"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148651590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-07-29DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120717
Yiming Zhao, Pengcheng Zou, Mingming Nie, Yonglyu He, Ke Duan, Zhipeng Li, Jianwei Zhang, Suli Xing
{"title":"Perforation-tolerant phase-gradient metastructure stabilizes broadband microwave absorption via scattering redistribution","authors":"Yiming Zhao, Pengcheng Zou, Mingming Nie, Yonglyu He, Ke Duan, Zhipeng Li, Jianwei Zhang, Suli Xing","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perforation is generally considered a worst-case failure mode for radar-absorbing structures because it removes lossy volume and amplifies edge-induced specular echoes. Here we show that, with phase-gradient scattering engineering, perforation can instead be leveraged as a controllable scattering-redistribution-and-loss element. A laminated metastructure that integrates a magnetic impedance-matching layer with a carbon-based multiple-reflection layer achieves broadband absorption (2–18 GHz) in the pristine state. Remarkably, although perforation increases the reflection amplitude locally, the phase gradient between adjacent subcells is largely preserved, which steers backward scattering away from the specular direction and stabilizes the global absorption/backscattering signature. The metastructure maintains effective absorption over 3–18 GHz under both periodic-array and randomly distributed perforation modes up to a 40% perforated area fraction. An inverted trend further emerges for a single central perforation: within a moderate damage window (hole radius ∼ 10 mm), the monostatic RCS is reduced relative to the pristine state, whereas larger holes eventually degrade as expected. Full-wave analyses indicate that pore-induced multiple scattering and edge-localized power dissipation compensate for missing absorber volume, explaining the counterintuitive damage-enhanced response. These results reframe perforation from an unavoidable liability into a practical design knob for damage-aware absorbing skins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120717"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148651592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120669
Guilherme José de Antunes e Sousa, Selim Gürgen, Fábio António Oliveira Fernandes
{"title":"Effect of compaction pressure and silica addition on the microstructure and thermal properties of cork agglomerates","authors":"Guilherme José de Antunes e Sousa, Selim Gürgen, Fábio António Oliveira Fernandes","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120669","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120669","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cork-based agglomerates are increasingly explored as sustainable thermal insulation materials. This study systematically investigates the thermal transport behaviour of moulded cork agglomerates compacted at different pressures, with and without silica, focusing on microstructure. Thermal transport properties were measured using transient plane source methods and differential scanning calorimetry. The three-dimensional microstructure was analysed by X-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy to quantify porosity, pore connectivity, and anisotropy. In cork-only agglomerates, increasing compaction pressure leads to microstructural damage, elastic recovery, and anisotropy, disrupting solid-phase heat transfer pathways and leading to a reduction of thermal conductivity and diffusivity by up to 25 % despite limited changes in bulk density. In cork-silica composites, low silica contents preserve the cork cellular framework and thermal response, whereas high silica loadings promote interfacial discontinuities, increased thermal resistance, and reduced effective heat storage, yielding minimum thermal conductivity values of approximately 0.13 – 0.14 W/m∙K. In both systems, variations in thermal transport are shown to be predominantly governed by microstructural continuity rather than intrinsic density or phase-specific heat capacity. These results emphasise the relevance of microstructural control in the design of cork-based insulation materials and provide a structure–property framework to guide the development of sustainable cork and cork-silica thermal insulators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120669"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148645852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-07-24DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120681
Xin Mei, Zifeng Yuan
{"title":"Consolidation process simulation in composites manufacturing: A finite strain poroelasticity model","authors":"Xin Mei, Zifeng Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120681","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120681","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a finite-strain poroelastic framework for the consolidation stage in autoclave processing of fiber-reinforced thermoset composites. The consolidation process is governed by two fully coupled equations that describe fiber skeleton deformation and resin flow. These equations are derived from multi-medium continuum mechanics under finite deformation. The coupled system is solved using a stabilized three-field finite element formulation, with displacement, seepage velocity, and resin pressure as independent unknowns. The finite-strain kinematic framework consistently tracks key geometric quantities – fiber volume fraction, fiber orientation, and local thickness ratio – as explicit functions of the deformation state. This provides a physically consistent initial condition for downstream cure simulation. A comprehensive parametric study is performed on L-shaped brackets. Results demonstrate that for both convex and concave molds, the corner region after consolidation exhibits greater thickness and lower fiber volume fraction than the flat arms. Local fiber buckling occurs on the outer corner as a consequence of geometric incompatibility. Corner consolidation is significantly influenced by laminate thickness and stacking sequence. In contrast, the steady-state thickness and fiber volume fraction in the flat arms remain unaffected by these parameters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120681"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148645856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-07-01Epub Date: 2026-06-15DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120562
Amir Hamza Siddiqui, Swarnendu Bhattacharya, Anirban Guha, Asim Tewari
{"title":"Microstructural damage evolution and stiffness degradation under tension-tension fatigue loading of GFRP composite","authors":"Amir Hamza Siddiqui, Swarnendu Bhattacharya, Anirban Guha, Asim Tewari","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stiffness degradation of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites subjected to fatigue loading depends on the type of fiber architecture, stacking sequence, stress ratio, load ratio, and the number of loading cycles. However, the root cause of stiffness degradation is microstructural damage such as matrix cracking, fiber breakage, and fiber–matrix debonding. Usually, stiffness degradation is modelled by assuming some damage parameters that do not capture the composite’s actual damage state. In this paper, the actual 3D damage state in unidirectional, plain woven, and cross-ply GFRP specimens was measured in the form of fiber crack, fiber–matrix interface debonding, and matrix crack. Tension-tension fatigue tests were done at a stress ratio R = 0.1 for a fixed number of cycles to obtain different degrees of damage in the specimen. The damage state thus quantified was then used to correlate the stiffness degradation of each specimen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 120562"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148525970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-07-01Epub Date: 2026-06-13DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120553
Shiyun Lin, Donghang Jie, Jie Bai, Menghao Ran, Ying Li, Yuhuan Du, Tianzhi Luo, Dagang Yin
{"title":"Multiscale tensile behavior of 3D-printed Onyx/glass honeycombs across wide temperatures","authors":"Shiyun Lin, Donghang Jie, Jie Bai, Menghao Ran, Ying Li, Yuhuan Du, Tianzhi Luo, Dagang Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPCs) are prized in aerospace for their high specific strength and stiffness. However, their mechanical properties show significant temperature sensitivity, especially in additively manufactured honeycomb structures. This work experimentally investigated tensile behavior of 3D-printed honeycomb composites across temperatures. The material featured an Onyx matrix with high-strength, high-temperature (HSHT) glass fibers. Quasi-static tensile tests ran at −30°C, 25°C, 70°C, 100°C, and 130°C. Mechanical responses were systematically characterized. Fracture surfaces underwent SEM analysis to identify failure mechanisms. Fractal dimension analysis quantified crack path complexity. A sequentially coupled thermomechanical FE model simulated the honeycomb’s temperature-dependent response. Results showed tensile strength generally decreased with temperature. Notably, toughness retention occurred at 100°C, evidenced by increased failure strain and energy absorption. FE simulations captured internal stress field evolution. They revealed altered stress distributions and temperature-dependent stress concentrations. Simulations replicated the progressive strength degradation trend. This experiment-simulation agreement offers fresh insights into temperature-driven failure mechanisms of 3D-printed CFRPC honeycombs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 120553"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148525971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Composite StructuresPub Date : 2026-07-01Epub Date: 2026-06-13DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120545
Hak Gu Lee, Sangmin Park, Jin-Hak Yi
{"title":"Mechanics-based approaches to generate the digital representation of a composite tidal blade for modal analysis","authors":"Hak Gu Lee, Sangmin Park, Jin-Hak Yi","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120545","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120545","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accuracy of finite element (FE) models as digital representations is essential for advancing digital twins (DTs). In the marine and wind energy industries, FE models are critical for evaluating design loads and structural integrity; therefore, certification bodies require rigorous accuracy of the models, such as natural frequency discrepancies within ± 5%. However, limited information available at the design stage forces initial models to rely on numerous assumptions, which reduce their accuracy. This study developed a mechanics-based approach to generate an accurate digital representation of a 1 MW, 5 m composite tidal blade for modal analysis. For the stiffness distribution, the composite properties of the as-built blade were logically recalculated using periodic microstructure micromechanics (PMM) combined with subcomponent thickness data. For the mass distribution, the two mass compensation components were iteratively adjusted to make the calculated total mass and center of gravity equal to the measured data. Artificial natural frequencies arising from inherent geometric differences in the FE shell model were restrained by applying constraints that mimic actual shear web configurations. Consequently, the digital representation produced the bending natural frequencies with a maximum error of 2.21%, demonstrating improved modeling accuracy for composite turbine blades in the marine and wind energy industries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 120545"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148526086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}