Size effects in plain-weave Astroquartz® deployable thin shells

The general scaling trend for brittle materials, in which the strength increases when sample size decreases, is reversed plain-weave laminates of Astroquartz® and cyanate ester resin. Specifically, both shear stiffness compressive decrease test samples with widths smaller than 15 times wavelength fabric, observations at microscale explain this behavior. derived applied to analysis a deployable thin shell forming 90∘ corner hinge five cutouts on each side. leave narrow strips material width as small one fabric wavelength, structural ligaments whose are subject strong size-scaling effects. A numerical simulation folding process followed by failure presented, using two alternative models criteria. independent model predicts that structure will remain damage-free after it folded deployed, whereas size-scaled occur. correctness prediction verified measuring localized damage physical prototype, x-ray CT scans.