Piezoresistive Behavior of Epoxy Matrix-Carbon Fiber Composites with Different Reinforcement Arrangements

In this work, the self-monitoring capability of epoxy matrix-carbon fiber composites has been studied. Different concentrations and arrangements of reinforcements were used, including random chopped, unidirectional and bi-directional continuous carbon fibers, weaved and nonweaved. Mechanical properties were determined by uniaxial tensile tests. The composite electric to mechanical behavior was established by determining its electrical resistivity variation as a function of the stress-strain curve. It was observed that the composites electrical resistance increased during tensile tests, a trend that indicates piezoresistive behavior. The increase was linear for the chopped reinforced composites, while it exhibits different slopes in