Fatigue damage evolution and residual strength analysis of 3D5D braided composites using X-ray computed tomography, acoustic emission, and digital image correlation

The accumulation of fatigue damage leads to continuous degradation of the residual strength of three-dimensional braided composites, directly determining the fatigue life. However, the inability to continuously collect residual strength and multiple damage modes pose a challenge to study the residual strength degradation mechanisms of three-dimensional braided composites. In this work, digital image correlation and acoustic emission techniques are employed to assess the strain field and damage events of the specimens during the residual strength tests. X-ray computed tomography facilitates the visualization and quantification of the fatigue damage evolution in three-dimensional braided composites. Moreover, the “two-step” damage classification method is applied to isolate the damage mechanisms. The Pearson correlation analysis is preformed between the quantitative results of three non-destructive techniques and residual strength degradation of 3D braided composites. The integration of the outcomes provides a comprehensive depiction of the residual strength degradation mechanisms.