Analyses of the Deformation Mechanisms of Non-Crimp Fabric Composite Reinforcements during Preforming

Two experimental devices are used for the analysis of the deformation mechanisms of biaxial non-crimp fabric composite reinforcements during preforming. The bias extension test, commonly use for the shear behaviour characterisation of woven fabrics, allows to highlight the sliding between the two plies of the reinforcement. This sliding is localized in areas of high gradient of shearing. This questions the use of bias extension test in determining the shear stiffness of the studied reinforcement. Then a hemispherical stamping experiment, representative of a preforming process, allows to quantify this sliding. The slippage is defined as the distance, projected onto the middle surface, of two points initially opposed on both sides of the reinforcement. For both experiments, the characteristic behavior of the non-crimp fabric reinforcement is highlighted by comparison with a woven textile reinforcement. This woven fabric presents only a very little sliding between warp and weft yarns during preforming. This aspect of the deformation kinematics of the non-crimp fabric reinforcement must be considered when simulating the preforming.