Page 8 - 3D Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites

A review of micro-mechanical models that are used or have a potential to be used to
theoretically analyse the mechanical properties of 3D textile composites is presented in
Chapter 4. Models for determining the in-plane elastic modulus of 3D composites are
described, including the Eshlby, Mori-Tanaka, orientation averaging, binary and unit
cell methods. Models for predicting the failure strength are also described, such as the
unit cell, binary and curved beam methods. The accuracy and limitations of models for
determining the in-plane properties of 3D composites are assessed, and the need for
more reliable models is discussed.
The performance of 3D composites made by weaving, braiding, knitting, stitching
and z-pinning are described in Chapters 5 to 9, respectively. The in-plane mechanical
properties and failure mechanisms of 3D composites under tension, compression,
bending and fatigue loads are examined Improvements to the interlaminar fkacture
toughness, impact resistance and damage tolerance of 3D composites are also described
in detail. In these chapters the gaps in our understanding of the mechanical
performance and through-thickness properties of 3D composites are identified for future
research.
We thank our colleagues with whom we have researched and developed 3D
composites over the last ten years, in particular to Professor I. Herszberg, Professor G.P.
Steven, Dr P. Tan, Dr K.H. Leong, Dr P.J. Callus, Dr P. Falzon, Mr K. Houghton, Dr
L.K. Jain and Dr B.N. Cox. We are thankful to many colleagues, in particular to
Professors T.-W. Chou, 0.0. Ochoa, and P. Smith, for their kind encouragement in the
initiation of this project. We are indebted to the University of Sydney, the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology and the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced
Composite Structures Ltd. for allowing the use of the facilities we required in the
preparation of this book. LT and APM are grateful for funding support of the
Australian Research Council (Grant No. C00107070, DP0211709), Boeing Company,
and Boeing (Hawker de Havilland) as well as the Cooperative Research Centre for
Advanced Composite Structures Ltd. We are also thankful to the many organisations
that kindly granted permission to use their photographs, figures and diagrams in the
book.

L. Tong
School of Aerospace, Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering
University of Sydney

A.P. Mouritz
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

M.K. Bannister
Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures Ltd
&
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technologv