Damage characteristics in 3D stitched composites with various stitch parameters under in-plane tension

Three-dimensional (3D) reinforcement by stitching is effective in improving the impact resistance of composites. Stitching, however, adversely affects the composite’s in-plane mechanical responses, and alters its damage mechanisms due to stitch-induced irregularities. We experimentally investigate the effect of two important stitch parameters, stitch density and thread diameter, on the damage characteristics of 3D stitched multidirectional composites under in-plane tension using X-ray radiography, X-ray micro-computed tomography and digital image correlation (DIC). Our study shows that composites stitched with thicker thread exhibit improved tensile strength due to effective hindrance of edge-delamination. We also found that stitch thread affects damage behaviors. A higher number of transverse cracks develops in the middle portion of thin 90°90° fiber tows; the inter-crack distance is reduced by dense stitching. DIC is able to identify the cracks that appear in resin-rich channels and distinguish strain fields due to different stitch densities.