Flexural Response of 3D Hybrid Textile Composites

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the flexural response of 3D hybrid textile composites subjected to quasi-static three-point bending. The term "hybrid" here refers to different constituent fibers, including carbon, glass, and Kevlar, that are integrally woven into a single preform. Three different hybrid architectures, manufactured by varying the percentages and lay-ups of each constituent fiber, were examined to understand the effect of hybridization and the resulting performance enhancement, including the bending modulus, flexural strength, and strain to failure. Although the experimental results show architecture-dependent flexural response, fiber tow kinking on the compressive side of the specimen is determined to be a strength limiting mechanism for this class of materials.