Experimental evaluation of carbon fibre, fibreglass and aramid tubular braided composites under combined tension–torsion loading

Braided composites are a class of composite materials that feature an inter-woven structure that improves structural stability and damage tolerance. Presently, braided composites under tension and torsion loading have been studied individually. Mechanical behaviour of braided composites under combined tension–torsion loading is common and therefore requires investigation. In this study, mechanical properties of carbon fibre, fibreglass and aramid 2D tubular braided composites (TBCs) were assessed and compared under coupled tension–torsion loading. The plane stress theory investigated the failure mechanism of braids. A contact-free three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D DIC) technique was used to derive detailed and continuous strain maps and understand the buckling behaviour of TBCs.