Composite number

Engineering

Materials science

Range (aeronautics)

Visual arts

Architecture

Mechanical engineering

Finite element method

Work (physics)

Composite material

Structural engineering

Braid

Composites Part B Engineering

Spatial deviations in composite braid unit cell dimensions limit mechanical performance and are challenging to model. Full-field measurements of the irregular tow placement in biaxially braided composite tubes were obtained by digital image correlation. Analysis of the reconstructed tow paths showed long-range defects along the hoop direction with short-range defects dominating the biased tow direction. A route toward numerical simulation of the composite response is established by developing a 3D model of the composite using the measured tow trajectories. Finally, a comparison to previously-published triaxial braid results indicates axial tows work to constrain unit cells dimensions along the hoop direction.

Analysis of tow architecture variability in biaxially braided composite tubes