Piezoresistivity of unidirectional carbon/epoxy composites for multiaxial loading

Abstract The applied strain of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRPs) is measurable by their electrical resistance changes. For damage monitoring of laminated CFRPs, piezoresistivity strongly affects the measured electrical resistance change through residual strain relief attributable to delamination cracks. Although several studies of CFRP laminates’ piezoresistivity have been published, this study uses single-ply CFRP for specific piezoresistivity measurements in four directions. A review of the theory of in-plane piezoresistivity reveals orthotropic properties of CFRP piezoresistivity. In the present study, piezoresistivity of multiaxial loading is derived, and the unsymmetrical piezoresistivity matrix is calculated using the measured piezoresistivity here. Effects of multiaxial loading in a misaligned unidirectional laminate are also discussed here. The misaligned laminate causes large shrink in the transverse direction during tensile tests; poor electrical contacts at electrodes increases the electric current in the transverse direction; these two effects cause decrease of electrical resistance for the poor electrical contact specimen with large fibre misalignment.