Examining 3D Damage in a Fiber Composite Using a Multiscale Scout-and-Zoom Workflow

Damage and failure mechanisms in structural materials can be a complex and multiscale problem. In this work, 3D X-ray microscopy is employed to characterize cracks in a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material after being subjected to load. A multiscale Scout-and-Zoom workflow is employed, whereby large field of view scanning at low resolution is used to guide the acquisition of subsequent higher resolution scans at targeted regions of interest. Such an approach enables observation of the fine structure of cracks occurring at the microscale while maintaining macroscale context.