Quasi-unidirectional flax composite reinforcement: Deformability and complex shape forming

Deformability and complex shape forming of a quasi-unidirectional flax reinforcement for composite materials (commercialized as FLAXPLY UD 180 by LINEO) are experimentally investigated. The first part of the study is focused on the understanding and measurement of the main deformation modes: in-plane tension, in-plane shear, and out-of-plane bending and compression, which are involved during draping of composite reinforcements. The second part is dedicated to the experimental study of a complex 3D shape forming, namely double-dome. The obtained results represent a complete data set for the characterisation of the deformation capabilities of the quasi-unidirectional flax reinforcement during complex 3D shape forming processes and provide benchmarking data for numerical predictions.