Flexural behavior of textile-reinforced polymer composites

Abstract Textile-reinforced polymer composites (TRPCs) are attracting more and more interest for use as structural elements in an array of fields such as construction, infrastructure, energy generation, geotextile, transportation, and aerospace applications. Filler of those TRPCs were manufactured based on weaving, knitting, and braiding processes as well as nonwoven production technologies. The properties (stiffness, flexibility, impact resistance, etc.), rate of production, and production cost of these TRPCs are varied with their weaving pattern. TRPCs can be in the form of 2D layered laminated composites, or they can also have advanced interlocked 3D structures. Three-dimensional TRPCs have presented higher mechanical performance compared to conventional laminated composites. The main focus of this chapter is the flexural properties of various TRPCs. The effect of yarn types (glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, Kevlar, biofibers, hybrid fiber, etc.), matrix type (PP, epoxy resin, polyester, polyether ether ketone, ESO, PLA, PHA etc.), fabrication techniques (hand lay-up, vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding film stacking, and compression molding, etc.), and filler modification on flexural properties of TRCPs have been discussed. To observe flexural failure mechanism, load-displacement curves of different studies are recited. TRPCs are often modeled by multilevel physics-based computational tools considering textile architecture and constituent properties. TRPCs possess some advantages like cost effectiveness, tailored characteristics, and durability against mechanical failure. TRPCs are favorable in terms of flexural properties compared to unidimensional fiber-reinforced composites (FRPCs) based on distinct mechanical characteristics of textile structures. Especially, 3D TRPCs exhibit advanced properties by overcoming some limitations such as delamination and debonding that occur in conventional 2D laminated composites under flexural loading.