Study on the Damage Tolerance of Bionic Hybrid Laminates With Gradient Waviness Structure Under Open‐Hole Compression Test

ABSTRACT The open‐hole compression (OHC) strength is a critical mechanical parameter that governs the damage tolerance, notch sensitivity, and load‐bearing capacity of carbon fiber‐reinforced composites. Inspired by natural biological structures, a gradient waviness architecture exhibiting exceptional damage tolerance was identified in the mandible of the trap‐jaw ant ( Odontomachus monticola ), providing valuable insights into mechanisms of energy dissipation and crack deflection. Based on this concept, bionic hybrid laminates were fabricated using a molded press‐forming process with mixed stacking of unidirectional and woven carbon fiber prepregs. OHC tests were conducted to evaluate their mechanical performance. The results indicate that, compared with traditional quasi‐isotropic laminates, the incorporation of the waviness interface within the hybrid stacking sequence significantly enhances the material‘s load‐bearing and energy absorption capability. Specifically, the OHC strength of the bionic hybrid laminate increased by 5.9% relative to the traditional laminate. This improvement is attributed to crack deflection, crack branching, and localized energy dissipation induced by the waviness interfaces. These findings provide a promising pathway for designing next‐generation high‐performance composites with superior damage tolerance and delamination resistance.