Abstract

Filament–wound carbon fiber composites are widely used in lightweight structural applications, where their mechanical performance is strongly affected by manufacturing-induced heterogeneities. In this study, the tensile behavior of carbon fiber composite specimens produced by filament winding was investigated using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to obtain full-field strain measurements. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed while monitoring the spatial distribution of strain over the specimen surface. Beyond conventional global stress–strain characterization, DIC enabled the identification of significant strain heterogeneity both within individual specimens and among different specimens manufactured under the same nominal conditions. Localized strain concentrations were observed to develop in specific regions, revealing non-uniform deformation patterns that were not captured by global measurements alone. The results demonstrate that, despite similar global mechanical responses, substantial variability exists at the local scale. This intra and inter-specimen heterogeneity highlights the influence of filament winding architecture and local variability on tensile performance. The study underscores the limitations of relying solely on global measurements and emphasizes the capability of DIC to provide deeper insight into strain distribution and damage initiation mechanisms. These findings support the use of full-field optical techniques as a powerful tool for the mechanical characterization and quality assessment of filament–wound composite structures.

IPC Classification

Keywords