Abstract
Translaminar reinforcements (TLR) are effective means of improving the interlaminar fracture toughness of laminated fiber composites. The three methods to provide such reinforcements are: stitching, z-pinning and three-dimensional weaving. Although TLR are effective in improving the interlaminar fracture toughness, there is an optimum amount of reinforcement that can be provided to a given laminated structure. Excessive reinforcement may weaken the laminate. On the other hand weak reinforcements could be detrimental as they could lead to lowering the stiffness of the structure as the crack propagates. In this paper we review some of the analytical, numerical and experimental methods used to understand the effectiveness of TLR.
Reference26 articles.
1. Sharma, S.K. and Sankar, D.V., "Effects of Through-the-Thickness Stitching on Impact and Interlaminar Fracture Properties of Textile Graphite/Epoxy Laminates", NASA Contractor Report 195042, 1995.
2. Sharma, S.K. and Sankar, B.V., "Mode II Delamination Toughness of Stitched Graphite/Epoxy Textile Composites", Composites Science and Technology, 57(7), 1997, pp.729-737.
3. Sharma, S.K. and Sankar, B.V., "Effect of Stitching on Impact and Interlaminar Properties of Graphite/Epoxy Laminates", J. Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 10(3), 1997, pp.241-253.
4. Sharma, S.K. and Sankar, B.V., "Sublaminate Buckling and Compression Strength of Stitched Uniweave Graphite / Epoxy Laminates", J. Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 16(5), 1997, pp.425-434.
5. Chen, L., Sankar, B.V. and Ifju, P.G., "A New Mode I Fracture Test for Composites with Translaminar Reinforcements", Composites Science and Technology, 62, 2002, pp.1407-1414.