Question

Which mechanical force causes the formation of delamination in a carbon fiber composite wing structure under high-stress flight maneuvers?

Accepted Answer

The mechanical force primarily responsible for delamination in a carbon fiber composite wing is interlaminar shear stress. Carbon fiber composites are manufactured as a stack of thin, individual layers called plies, which are bonded together by a relatively weak polymer resin matrix. When a wing undergoes high-stress flight maneuvers, it experiences bending and twisting forces that generate internal stresses acting between these layers. Interlaminar shear stress refers to the force attempting to slide one ply against the adjacent ply. Because the resin matrix is significantly less strong than the carbon fibers themselves, it acts as the weak link in the structure. When these shear forces exceed the adhesive strength of the resin, the layers physically pull apart or peel away from one another. This separation between layers is defined as delamination. Once delamination begins, the structural integrity of the composite is compromised because the load is no longer distributed evenly across the entire thickness of the material, which can lead to further cracking or catastrophic structural failure.

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Which mechanical force causes the formation of delamination in a carbon fiber composite wing structure under high-stress flight maneuvers?

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