Structural performance analysis of smart carbon fiber samples supported by experimental investigation

The use of composite materials has grown significantly in recent years thanks to new manufacturing processes, which have allowed for competing of laminates with metal alloys in in a broad spectrum of technological applications. As known, a composite is a material made by joining two or more constituents, therefore key concept is to combine more performances in a single final product. For their peculiarities, such as the heterogeneity and anisotropy, composites are materials used as a solution to problems of different areas, taking advantage of lightweight, strength, stiffness, good behavior to fatigue and corrosion and reduced manufacturing costs. Precisely because of their complex nature, the execution into a potential industrialization stage pose to the designer new problems but also targets, dictated by the technical need to clearly characterize both the macroscopic that the microscopic properties. The main goal of this activity has been to assess the mechanical properties of two carbon fiber/epoxy samples by means of experimental tests and numerical simulations with a very good correlation level. The outcomes achieved and described in this paper have been performed within an ambitious research project focused on the development and application of self-healing materials: one of the specimens in fact was filled with microcapsules to trigger the self-repair process in case of damage. Among the significant advantages of these smart materials, the improved ability to dissipate vibration energy has been especially appreciated in this framework. The conducted tests have revealed a higher damping coefficient compared to that one of a standard CFRC. Relying upon the validated FEM, sensitivity nonlinear analyses were carried out to evaluate the stiffness trend with respect to first-ply failure.