EPSRC Reference: |
GR/L78178/01 |
Title: |
THE DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A NOVEL CLASS OF SELF-SENSING COMPOSITES |
Principal Investigator: |
Fernando, Professor GF |
Other Investigators: |
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Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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Project Partners: |
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Department: |
Engineering Systems |
Organisation: |
Cranfield University |
Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
Starts: |
01 December 1998 |
Ends: |
31 March 2002 |
Value (£): |
150,412
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EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
Construction |
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Related Grants: |
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Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
This project aims to convert conventional E- and S-glass fibres into light guides to study damage development in composites. The reinforcing fibre light guides (RFLGs) will be manufactured by surface treating and then applying an appropriate cladding onto the conventional fibres. The coating material and the coating procedures will be optimised to : (a) enhance the light guiding characteristics of the RFLGs; and (b) have a minimal effect on the mechanical properties of the composite. Prepregs will be made using the RFLGs and epoxy resin films. The RFLG-based prepregs will be used to manufacture inter-ply E-glass and carbon fibre hybrid composites. In addition to this, all -RLFG composites will be manufactured. The nature of damage development in the RFLG and hybrid composites will be studied under flexural, tensile and impact loading. Three imaging techniques will be evaluated to study the nature of damage development: (a) direct coupling of the light source and detector to the specimen; (b) an alignment jig to evaluate the extent of damage as a function of impact energy and mechanical loading and (c) a CCD-based image analysis system.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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Impacts |
Description |
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Summary |
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Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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Project URL: |
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Further Information: |
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Organisation Website: |
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk |