An experimental investigation into the impact of weave architectures on the flexural fatigue performance of E-Glass roving/epoxy woven composites

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced composites are integral to lightweight engineering materials, offering excellent strength-to-weight ratios and superior mechanical attributes vital for aerospace, automotive, and marine industries. However, their low rigidity necessitates thicker composite structures for applications like aircraft wings and wind turbine blades, where fatigue from repeated tension and bending remains a critical concern. This study comprehensively investigates. The fatigue performance of various textile-reinforced composites under flexural loading, emphasizing residual strength and stiffness after cyclic loading. Different textile structures, including unidirectional preforms and two-dimensional and three-dimensional woven structures, were manufactured using a tailored weaving loom and infused with thermoset resin through the vacuum-assisted resin transfer method. The study focuses on how different weave architectures and reinforcement orientations affect fatigue behavior. The results reveal that 3D woven composites, particularly those with a 3D angle-interlock weave structure, have higher residual strength and stiffness due to fewer inter-yarn cross-over points, non-orthogonal orientation of the binder/Z reinforcement pathway, and enhanced formability. Satin weave with longer weft yarn float length of 2D woven composite demonstrates excellent stiffness retention. Conversely, 3D orthogonal twill 3 × 3 composite exhibits lower residual strength despite higher flexural force, whereas 3D angle-interlock 4 × 4 twill composite demonstrates superior fatigue performance.