Critical review of interlaminar damage process and failure analysis in fiber-reinforced composite laminates encompassing fiber-bridging phenomenon

Metallic structures are increasingly being replaced by fiber-reinforced composites for the design of advanced structures with superior mechanical and physical properties. Fibrous composites offer several advantages, including lightweight feature while maintaining mechanical strength, resistance to damage evolution, and high fracture tolerance. Delamination growth in laminated composites is sometimes accompanied by fiber bridging which provides additional resistance against delamination growth. Delamination is known as one of the primary causes of premature failure in laminated composites. It is therefore necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of interlaminar damage. Much research has been done to study various characteristics of fiber bridging yet the challenge remains an open topic for continued research. This review article aims to report the major studies on fiber bridging of composite materials in the literature. This article starts with an introduction to various modes of failure observed in fiber-reinforced laminated composites, extrinsic and intrinsic damage mechanisms, and the delamination phenomenon in the presence of fiber bridging. Next, different experimental and numerical methods for the characterization of delamination are presented. Fatigue-driven delamination, a leading cause of failure in aerospace structures, is subsequently reviewed. The paper concludes with a review of practical applications of numerical methods for delamination analysis followed by a review of recent progress in this field as well as open challenges in modeling, simulation, and experimental research works on the mechanics of fiber bridging incorporating composite damage and failure.