Bearing Behavior of Drilled and Molded-in Holes

Glass/epoxy composites were manufactured using RIFT (Resin Infusion under Flexible Tool), a closed mould process capable of obtaining large and complex forms, by impregnating, under a vacuum, a dry preform placed on a flat rigid mould. At certain points of these composite laminates, molded-in holes were made in the dry perform before the resin infusion phase, using two different methods: displacing or cutting the yarn of the fibers. After the resin treatment, other holes were made in the same laminates by drilling. Single-point pin-loaded specimens, cut from laminates, were tested for different values of specimen width-to-hole diameter ratio (W/D) and edge distance-to-hole diameter ratio. In the results of the experiment, the specimens with molded in holes made by displacing the fiber yarn showed higher bearing strength values.