Effect of Shape of Fiber Bundle on Damage Development of Woven Fabric Composites

Abstract

This paper presents experimental view of damage initiation and growth in plain woven fabric composites, which has several types on woven structure. Plain woven glass fabric composites were fabricated with tensioning the warp during the cure process. Microscopic damage progress was observed by a replica method. Binarization was applied in order to evaluate cracks in the weft and amplitude and curvature radius in plain woven fabric composites. It was found that the amplitude of the warp decreased and the fiber volume fraction in the weft became uniform in order to tension the warp during cure process. In addition, it was clear that the occurrence of cracks in the weft was delayed and the crack was developed slowly on these effects in comparison with the controlled type.