Flexural testing of cellulose fiber braided composites using three dimensional digital image correlation

Braided composites consist of woven fibers embedded within a matrix material. Braided structures are commonly produced using conventional materials such as carbon, glass and aramid fibers. However, natural fibers and bio-based resins may also be utilized with this manufacturing process. In this work, the flexural properties of tubular braid structures produced using bio-based materials was investigated. Braid samples were assessed using a contact free three dimensional digital image correlation (3D DIC) technique to assess the strain fields that occur in the samples due to applied flexural loads. Additionally, the bio-based structures were evaluated using micro-computed tomography (µCT) to assess the cross-sectional geometry and void content of the produced samples.