A multi-scale modelling method for tufted composites: Unit-cell model

The number of applications of through-the-thickness reinforcement at industrial level is currently limited, especially in relation to the relatively recent tufting technique. One identified reason for this is the absence of efficient modelling tools capable of accounting for tufts in the design process and of accurately predicting their potential benefits and/or negative effects on the final performance of a component. The aim of this research is to provide a deeper understanding of the energy dissipation mechanisms exerted by tufts under various loading conditions and their inclusion in finite element models capable of predicting the response to delamination of tufted composite structures. With focus on the ‘micro-local’ scale of the problem, the characterization of the mode I bridging law of single carbon tufts is reported in this paper, and a strategy for model development is proposed.