Tensile Properties and Failure Mechanism of 3D Woven Hollow Integrated Sandwich Composites

Tensile properties and failure mechanism of 3D woven hollow integrated sandwich composites are investigated experimentally, theoretically and numerically in this paper. Firstly, the tensile properties are obtained by quasi-static tensile tests on the specimens in two principal directions of the sandwich panels, called warp and weft. The experimental results shows that the tensile performances of the warp are better than that of the weft. By observing the broken specimens, it is found that the touch parts between yarns are the main failure regions under tension. Then, a theoretical method is developed to predict the tensile properties. By comparing with the experimental data, the accuracy of the theoretical method is verified. Simultaneously, a finite element model is established to predict the tensile behavior of the composites. The numerical results agree well with the experimental data. Moreover, the simulated progressive damages show that the contact regions in the warp and weft tension are both the initial failure areas.