Dear Colleagues,

Through-the-thickness reinforcement techniques applied to fibre reinforced polymer matrix composites include Z-pinning, tufting, stapling and various forms of stitching. When applied in carefully selected locations within a composite structure, these techniques have been shown to be highly effective in limiting or slowing down the growth of delaminations. 

What still remains to be established is how this delamination reduction can be achieved without a detriment to the in-plane dominated load resistance and how the manufacturability and the cost effectiveness of the different approaches compare to each other and to the rapidly developing 3D weaving techniques.

Hybridisation of materials used for the through-the-thickness elements offers new levels of multifunctionality to be exploited in damage tolerance, damage sensing and new ways to improve processing efficiency in manufacture. Experimentally validated modelling approaches being developed for the evaluation of all these aspects offer the most efficient means of selection and valid comparisons within the spectrum of the technologies and hence become the most effective design tool in this context.

Prof. Ivana K Partridge
Prof. Stephen R. Hallett
Dr. Giuliano Allegri
Guest Editors

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• Z-pinning
• Tufting
• Stitching
• 3D weaving
• Automated manufacturing
• Mechanical performance
• Simulation