Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research
Title
Understanding Effectiveness of Stitching in Suppression of Impact Damage: An Empirical Delamination Reduction Trend for Stitched Composites
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Summer 6-2012
Abstract
In this paper, a novel empirical trend has been identified to understand the delamination reduction in stitched composites subjected to impact loading. This empirical-based Delamination Reduction Trend (DRT) is developed based on an extensive series of low-velocity impact tests using specimens of different laminate thicknesses, stitch densities and stitch thread linear (mass) densities, subjected over a range of impact energy levels. The DRT simply relates two parameters: normalized delamination area (DelamNorm) and stitch fiber volume fraction (Vft), to characterize the effectiveness of stitching in impact damage suppression. DRT evidently shows a bi-linear behavior: first, an initial linearly decreasing relationship of DelamNorm with Vft; and second, a plateau which indicates maximum delamination area reduction limit of 40% by stitching. Experimentally observed mechanisms are presented and discussed with the aim to justify and explain the bi-linear behavior of DRT. The DRT is further validated with numerous published literature results and has demonstrated excellent agreement.
Publication Title
Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
Volume
43
Issue
6
First Page
823
Last Page
832
Recommended Citation
Tan, Kwek Tze; Watanabe, N.; Iwahori, Y.; and Ishikawa, T., "Understanding Effectiveness of Stitching in Suppression of Impact Damage: An Empirical Delamination Reduction Trend for Stitched Composites" (2012). Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research. 225.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/mechanical_ideas/225
