Impact Loading and Rapid Volumetric Assessment of Braided Composite Structures

Braided composites have become a viable alternative to traditional materials in performance-critical applications, with advantages including favourable specific strength and stiffness and highly tailorable properties. However, their inherent complexity and heterogeneity pose challenges in thoroughly assessing their load response. Micro-computed tomography (µCT) offers a method for examining materials and their internal structures through volumetric X-ray imaging. This thesis explores an automated method of rapidly characterizing the internal structures of braided composites subjected to impact testing. The developed methodology is based on algorithms that use image processing techniques to segment and analyze various features in sample volumes. The extracted features in braided composites for study are geometric profiles, voids, and impact damage. The results from the developed algorithms are supplemented with three-dimensional strain measurements by digital volume correlation (DVC).