Carbon/epoxy filament wound composite drive shafts under torsion and compression

Composite cylinders to be used as half shafts must satisfy several requirements, such as critical speed, critical buckling torque, and load carrying ability. This study focused on the investigation of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite cylinders produced by filament winding to be used as half shafts. A preliminary torsional test in a [+/- 45](5) cylinder was performed and three other laminates were chosen for the study: [+/- 22/+/- 45], [+/- 89/+/- 45], and [+/- 45/+/- 45]. Radial and longitudinal compression tests were performed. Mechanical analysis has been carried out using analytical and numerical approaches, and good correlation was found between them and the experimental values. The [+/- 45/+/- 45] cylinder showed the best performance under torsional loading, as expected, as well as radial and longitudinal compression, but not critical buckling torque.