Prediction and design of the failure of composites

Project summary

Research on polymer composites has so far mainly focused on increasing strength, maybe modifying behaviour in the elastic material range. In the present project, we aim to open a new research direction by applying novel methods to engineer the ultimate failure of composites, mainly by locally modifying the fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion. In addition, we plan to develop a measurement system based on surface strain measurements under low loads to predict the residual strength and the expected load capacity of composites in a non-destructive way, even for large parts. Using the collected data, we develop an artificial neural network-based expert system that can help to design a predictable failure mode and can predict the expected residual strength of structures based on baseline measurement data.

Project results