Internal Structure of the Sheared Textile Composite Reinforcement: Analysis Using X-Ray Tomography
X-ray micro computed tomography (Micro-CT) is a non-destructive technique that can provide information on the internal structure of materials. The purpose of micro-CT is to assess the presence of defects as well as characterizing internal structures and potential damage present in the produced part. Simple shear is an interesting deformation mechanism for woven fabric draping. The internal structure change of the carbon fibre twill fabric after shear deformation is chosen as a subject of this paper. Parameters of the mesoscopic internal structure of the woven fabric like cross section, shape, area, and middle line coordinates can be obtained from micro-CT images through image processing procedures. Details of the image data processing for sheared fabric cross sections are discussed. This paper illustrates the possibilities of micro-focus computer tomography in materials research, namely for defining geometrical properties of textile. Image processing is also used for the recognition of fibre direction in the yarns. Described methodology can be applied for determining structure of a fabric, and the results can be used for further micromechanical modelling. Identification of the fibres orientation is important for estimation of the mechanical properties of composites and can be achieved with image processing techniques.