In the context of strain-energy-deployed space structures, material relaxation effects play a significant role in structures that are stowed for long durations, for example, in a space vehicle prior to launch. Here, the deployment of an ultrathin carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) tape spring is studied, with the aim of understanding how longduration stowage affects its deployment behavior....

A new and innovative approach is presented to integrate sensors in materials and set up “smart materials”. Semi-finished parts are functionalized by printed sensors and printed interconnects. These functionalized parts are then further processed to components. This is a new and simple approach to integrate sensors in a material. Two examples of printed sensors and the process of integration are...

This study investigates the different types of ultrasonic inspection, when applied to assess the impact damage in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic CFRP laminates. The study surveys the two most used ultrasonic testing approaches first; namely the pulse-echo and the through-transmission modes. Then, the manuscript discusses and analyzes the enhanced ultrasonic testing methods that use the polar s...

We present an experimentally-based failure criterion for symmetric two-ply plain-weave laminates of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. The criterion is formulated in terms of six force and moment stress resultants and consists of a set of three inequalities, related to in-plane, bending, and combined in-plane and bending types of failure. All failure parameters in the criterion are measured direc...

A continuum damage model for the prediction of the onset and evolution of intralaminar failure mechanisms and the collapse of structures manufactured in fiber-reinforced plastic laminates is proposed. The failure mechanisms occurring in the longitudinal and transverse directions of a ply are represented by a set of scalar damage variables. Crack closure effects under load reversal are taken int...