Citation:
X. Zhang, L. Hounslow and M. Grassi, Improvement of low-velocity impact and
compression-after-impact performance by z-fibre pinning, Composites Science and
Technology, Vol 66, Iss 15, 1 December 2006, Pages 2785-2794.
Abstract:
Z-fibre® pinning is a new method of through-thickness reinforcement of laminated
composites. This paper presents an experimental test and theoretical analysis on
how and why these pins can improve the resistance to impact loading and post-
impact compression. Specimens were made of carbon/epoxy T300/914C with nominal
thicknesses of 2, 4, and 6 mm. For the specimens tested in this study, z-pinning
reduced impact damage area by 19–64% depending on the specimen thickness and
impact energy. Experimental results obtained also indicate that z-pins can
significantly increase the compression-after-impact (CAI) strength by about 45%.
In this paper all of these observations are discussed in the context of
theoretical and numerical models that have been developed previously to predict
the critical impact force and z-pinning performance in terms of the laminate in-
plane stiffness and mode I delamination fracture toughness with the z-fibre
bridging effe