Papers by Author: Xiang Zheng

Abstract: Acoustic emission (AE) technique was utilized for real-time monitoring the damage evolutions of 2-D and 3-D C/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMC) under mechanical loading. AE signals for damage initiation and propagation were captured by AE equipment during the entire loading process. Different damage mechanisms of the two kinds of C/SiC composites were revealed on the basis of multi-parameter analysis. The experimental results validate the availability of AE technique on damage monitoring of C/SiC composites. And the AE technique can be used to distinguish the slight differences in damage mechanisms during damage evolution owing to different woven structures.

Abstract: Based on progressive damage theory, a 3D laminated model with an orthotropic property in plane was established to simulate the response of plain weave carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide(C/SiC) ceramic matrix composites(CMC) under low velocity impact(LVI). Intra-layer damage and inter-layer damage were taken into account, respectively. Three scalar damage variables, associated with the degradation of warp modulus, weft modulus and shear modulus, respectively, were proposed to characterize intra-layer damage evolutions. The intra-layer constitutive model was implemented into MSC.Dytran, via its user subroutine EXFAIL1. The potential delamination region was considered as a discrete cohesive zone. Three vector spring elements were placed into every two adjacent nodes to simulate the inter-layer joints. A scalar damage variables, associated with the degradation of the three vector spring elements, were brought forward to characterize the inter-layer damage evolutions. The inter-layer constitutive model was implemented into MSC.Dytran, via its user subroutine EXELAS. Damage area, indentation depth of C/SiC composite plates and time history of impact force were obtained to compare with experimental results. The numerical results show overall good agreement with experimental results.

Abstract: An experimental study of low-velocity impact characteristics and strength after impact was carried out on both woven fiber-reinforced resin matrix composites and woven fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites. The test specimens were impacted using a dropped-weight impact test apparatus with an instrumented spherical tip. Ultrasonic C-scan was used in nondestructive testing to characterize and quantify the impact damage. Much more damage of ceramic matrix composites than that of resin matrix composites occur and process in loading stage. The peak load of resin matrix composites is higher than that of ceramic matrix composites. According to the results of observing optical photographs and C-scan images, the damage area of ceramic matrix composites is greater than that of resin matrix composites and the difference increases as the energy increases. Damage resistance of ceramic matrix composites is lower than that of resin matrix composites, but damage tolerance of ceramic matrix composites is higher than that of resin matrix composites.

Abstract: One of the problems preventing the industrial application of composites is the lack of an efficient method to detect and discriminate among types of damage occurring during service. To solve this problem, low velocity impact experiments are carried out on T300/QY8911 composite laminates. And synchronously, the acoustic emission (AE) technique and impact monitoring systems were used to record the AE signals and the impact force. The damage evolution, damage modes and acoustic emission (AE) activity were easily detected and evaluated by the analysis of both AE waveform and impact load. In this way, the damage development process containing matrix cracking, delamination and fibers breakage is investigated. The energy release of damage are theoretically approximated and correlated with the AE energy. By the theory, the “high energy damage zone” is defined in the scatter diagrams of amplitude-frequency. It is easily to prove that the primary damage mode of “high energy damage zone” is delamination.