Damage-tolerant composite materials produced by stitching carbon fibersNASA-Langley has undertaken the investigation of composite damage-tolerance enhancement and fabrication economies-maximization via reinforcement-stitching, in combination with resin transfer molding. Attention is given to results obtained by an experimental evaluation of composites tailored for damage tolerance by stitching layers of dry carbon-fiber fabric with closely-spaced threads, in order to furnish through-the-thickness reinforcement. Various stitching patterns and thread materials have been evaluated, using flat-plate specimens; blade-stiffened structural elements have been fabricated and tested. The results presented indicate that stitched laminates furnish damage tolerance performance comparable to that of more expensive, toughened-matrix composites.
Document ID
19900046061
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Dow, Marvin B. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Smith, Donald L. (NASA Langley Research Center; Planning Research Corp. Hampton, VA, United States)