Low-Velocity Impact Performance of 3-D Woven Composite Tubes with Different Structure

Three-dimensional woven tubular composites (3DWTCs) exhibit exceptional structural integrity and superior interlaminar shear resistance, making them highly promising candidates for energy absorption components in a wide range of applications. This paper aims to evaluate the impact response of 3DWTCs with varying structures through low-velocity impact experiments. Three types of 3DWTCs, namely shallow cross-linked (SCL), shallow-crossed curved joint (SCCL), and through orthogonal (TO), were fabricated using basalt fiber bundles and epoxy resin via the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Low-velocity impact tests were conducted at energy levels of 5, 10, and 20 J. To evaluate the damage characteristics of 3DWTCs, the observations were analyzed in terms of load-time curves, load-displacement curves, energy-time curves, and failure morphologies. The results indicate that the SCL structure exhibits superior impact resistance, followed by SCCL, while the TO structure displays the lowest. This study provides valuable insights into the potential applications of 3DWTCs in the aerospace industry and other sectors.