Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Failure Mechanism of 3D C/C Composite Under Compression-Shear Coupled Loads: An Experimental Study

  • Research paper
  • Published:
Experimental Techniques Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Material strength under complex stress states is vital for structure design. This paper studied the strength and failure behaviour of 3D C/C composites under compression-shear coupled loads. Experiments were conducted using a modified anti-symmetric four-point bending (MAFPB) method and off-axis compression method. Two dominant failure modes were observed; 1) shear and 2) compression. Mode transitions under relatively low shear/compressive rations were also observed. Results show that the material exhibits significantly lower failure stress under shear-compressive load compared to compressive or shear strengths alone. Further analysis revealed that meso-scale geometry characteristic including tow crimps and interfacial cracks are the main inducements: (1) tow crimps lead to local bending moment and increase local shear stress, (2) matrix-tow cracks formed under shear load degrade the lateral support of axial tows, (3) matrix fibre splitting and local buckling within tows induced by compressive load further reduce the shear strength of axial tows. Failure stresses in off-axis tests are lower compared to those in MAFPB tests due to the existence of bi-axial compression. These findings show that shear failure is a weakness for the 3D C/C composite and can provide insights for further material design and structural strength analysis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time due to legal or ethical reasons.

References

  1. Xue LZ, Li KZ, Jia Y, Zhang SY, Ren JJ, You ZY (2016) Effects of hypervelocity impact on ablation behaviour of SiC coated C/C composites. Mater Des 108:151–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Meng S, Zhou Y, Xie W, Yi F, Du S (2016) Multiphysics coupled fluid/thermal/ablation simulation of carbon/carbon composites. J Spacecr Rocket, 930–935

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Guo H, Jia P, Wang B, Yang C, Li J (2016) Characterisation and analysis of the damage coupling effects of a 2D-C/SiC composite under proportional loading conditions. Ceram Int 42(1):1007–1014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Xie J, Fang G, Chen Z, Liang J (2017) An anisotropic elastoplastic damage constitutive model for 3D needled C/C-SiC composites. Compos Struct 176:164–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Li DS, Zhao CQ, Ge TQ, Jiang L, Huang CJ, Jiang N (2014) Experimental investigation on the compression properties and failure mechanism of 3D braided composites at room and liquid nitrogen temperature. Compos Part B 56:647–659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kuo WS, Ko TH, Lo TS (2002) Failure behaviour of three-axis woven carbon/carbon composites under compressive and transverse shear loads. Compos Sci Technol 62(7–8):989–999

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hatta H, Goto K, Aoki T (2005) Strengths of C/C composites under tensile, shear, and compressive loading: Role of interfacial shear strength. Compos Sci Technol 65(15-16):2550–2562

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Xie WH, Peng ZJ, Meng SH, Xu CH, Yi FJ, Du SY (2016) GWFMM model for bi-modulus orthotropic materials: application to mechanical analysis of 4D-C/C composites. Compos Struct 150:132–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Xu C, Han X, Cheng G, Meng S, Jin H (2018) Experimental study of ultra-high temperature interlaminar tensile strengths of 3D-needled C/C composites using the V-shaped notched specimen compression method. Mech Mater 126:26–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Chen Z, Fang G, Xie J, Liang J (2016) Experimental study of high-temperature tensile mechanical properties of 3D needled C/C–SiC composites. Mater Sci Eng A 654:271–277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Xi YANG, Li HJ, Yu KH, Zhang SY (2013) Effect of stress level on fatigue behaviour of 2D C/C composites. Trans Nonferrous Metals Soc China 23(7):2135–2140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Xu C, Song L, Zhu H, Meng S, Xie W, Jin H (2018) Experimental investigation on the mechanical behaviour of 3D carbon/carbon composites under biaxial compression. Compos Struct 188:7–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lomov SV, Ivanov DS, Verpoest I, Zako M, Kurashiki T, Nakai H, Hirosawa S (2007) Meso-FE modelling of textile composites: road map, data flow and algorithms. Compos Sci Technol 67(9):1870–1891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Xie J, Fang G, Chen Z, Liang J (2018) Numerical and experimental studies on scattered mechanical properties for 3D needled C/C-SiC composites. Compos Struct 192:545–554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Jia Y, Liao D, Cui H, Ji A, Bai X, Yasir M (2016) Modelling the needling effect on the stress concentrations of laminated C/C composites. Mater Des 104:19–26

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Cox BN, Bale HA, Begley M, Blacklock M, Do BC, Fast T et al (2014) Stochastic virtual tests for high-temperature ceramic matrix composites. Annu Rev Mater Res 44:479–529

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. O’Brien TK, Krueger R (2006) Influence of compression and shear on the strength of composite laminates with z-pinned reinforcement. Appl Compos Mater 13(3):173–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Vogler TJ, Hsu SY, Kyriakides S (2000) Composite failure under combined compression and shear. Int J Solids Struct 37(12):1765–1791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tian Z, Yan Y, Li J, Hong Y, Guo F (2018) Progressive damage and failure analysis of three-dimensional braided composites subjected to biaxial tension and compression. Compos Struct 185:496–507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Qiao Y, Bisagni C, Bai Y (2017) Experimental investigation and numerical simulation of unidirectional carbon fiber composite under multi-axial loadings. Compos Part B 124:190–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Cichosz J, Wehrkamp-Richter T, Koerber H, Hinterhölzl R, Camanho PP (2016) Failure and damage characterization of (±30°) biaxial braided composites under multiaxial stress states. Compos A: Appl Sci Manuf 90:748–759

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rashidi A, Milani AS (2018) A multi-step biaxial bias extension test for wrinkling/de-wrinkling characterization of woven fabrics: towards optimum forming design guidelines. Mater Des 146:273–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ashab ASM, Ruan D, Lu G, Wong YC (2016) Quasi-static and dynamic experiments of aluminum honeycombs under combined compression-shear loading. Mater Des 97:183–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Correa E, Barroso A, Pérez MD, París F (2017) Design for a cruciform coupon used for tensile biaxial transverse tests on composite materials. Compos Sci Technol 145:138–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Xu CH, Han XX, Song LY, Meng SH, Xie WH, Jin H (2018) A modified anti-symmetric four-point bending method for testing C/C composites under biaxial shear and compression. Exp Mech 58(3):515–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Budiansky B, Fleck NA (1993) Compressive failure of fibre composites. J Mech Phys Solids 41(1):183–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Yang C, Jiao G, Guo H (2014) Failure criteria for C/SiC composites under plane stress state. Theor Appl Mech Lett 4(2):6–021007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Koerber H, Xavier J, Camanho PP, Essa YE, de la Escalera FM (2015) High strain rate behaviour of 5-harness-satin weave fabric carbon–epoxy composite under compression and combined compression–shear loading. Int J Solids Struct 54:172–182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Jones RM (2014) Mechanics of composite materials. CRC press

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11472092, 11672088, and 11502058), and the National Basic Research Program of China (2015CB655200). The authors are grateful for this financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Technology on Advanced Composites in Special Environment Laboratory, Harbin Institute of Technology, 150001, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    C. Xu, Q. Yang, H. Jin, S. Meng & X. Han

Authors
  1. C. Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Q. Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. X. Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Q. Yang.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xu, C., Yang, Q., Jin, H. et al. The Failure Mechanism of 3D C/C Composite Under Compression-Shear Coupled Loads: An Experimental Study. Exp Tech 44, 275–282 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-019-00351-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-019-00351-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation