| This study aims to explore some of the physical and mechanical characteristics of biaxially braided fabrics and their composites.; A brief evaluation of the characteristics of those glass fabrics at the dry state was carried out to determine the evolution of their fiber volume fraction as a function of their thickness. Afterwards, the permeability of flat braids was measured for three braiding angles: +/-35°, +/-45° and +/-50°. Three fiber volume fractions were associated to each of those angles. Thus, the effect of the braiding angle and the fiber fraction on the permeability could be studied.; In order to perform the mechanical characterization, glass/epoxy plates were made using a new manufacturing process with a flexible membrane. However, it was impossible to get a unique fiber fraction for all the plates. Hence, the experimental data had to be normalized to a common fiber volume fraction before their analysis.; Tensile, compression and Iosipescu shear tests were conducted on three groups of test samples containing glass rovings braided at +/-35°, +/-45° and +/-50° and also unidirectional glass/epoxy specimens. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
