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Abstract The mechanical behaviour of fibre-reinforced composites under multiaxial loading is critical for their structural performance but remains challenging to characterise at the microscale. This study introduces a novel biaxial loading rig designed for in situ X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) characterisation of fibre-reinforced composites. The rig enables controlled biaxial stress states while maintaining compatibility with […]

Abstract Metabolic processes in plant organs involving transport of water, metabolic gasses, and nutrients depend on the three-dimensional (3D) microscopic tissue morphology. However, imaging and quantifying this microstructure, including the spatial layout of parenchyma cells, pores, vascular bundles and special features such as stone cell clusters (brachysclereids), is challenging. To address this, a 3D deep

  Dear all, We are excited to announce the 7th Symposium on X-ray Computed Tomography organized by the KU Leuven XCT Core Facility, to take place on May 6, 2025 at the Thermotechnical Institute in Heverlee (KU Leuven). The symposium, presents an attractive program and stimulates networking, connecting researchers and industrial collaborators in the field. The

Abstract Surgical revision options for failed trapeziometacarpal total joint replacement include implant replacement and trapeziectomy. However, discontinuation of older implants complicates revision with original components, particularly as removing a well-fixed metacarpal stem can be challenging. This study examined the feasibility of pairing discontinued stems (Arpe, Elektra and Ivory) with currently available necks (Maïa, Moovis and

Abstract Carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics sheet moulding compounds demonstrate significant potential for cost-effective, mass production applications in lightweight structures. However, the material’s complex internal morphology poses substantial challenges for mechanical property prediction. To elucidate the failure mechanisms of sheet moulding compounds, in-situ tensile X-ray computed tomography experiments were conducted in conjunction with digital volume correlation analysis,

Abstract The porous nature of a building material significantly influences its functional properties, with the pore structure being particularly crucial. Imaging techniques are widely used to characterize pore structures, typically involving image acquisition, image denoising, and image segmentation. This paper analyses the distinct impacts of these procedures on the resulting pore structure characterization, by application

This paper investigates an innovative process for polymer composite materials manufacturing by vacuum-assisted resin infusion process combined with a controlled microwave preheating system. Regulation is based on the acquisition of resin temperature after the microwave heating and before the die inlet and data processing by a PID controller to manage microwave input power in real

Abstract Void formation in fibre-reinforced polymer composites processed by liquid moulding is a persistent issue in composite research and development. Not only may several void formation mechanisms come into play, but these defects can also accumulate and grow over the course of the manufacturing process. Mitigation methods can be applied once the underlying causes of

Certain species in the Brassicaceae family exhibit high photosynthesis rates, potentially providing a valuable route toward improving agricultural productivity. However, factors contributing to their high photosynthesis rates are still unknown. We compared Hirschfeldia incana, Brassica nigra, Brassica rapa and Arabidopsis thaliana, grown under two contrasting light intensities.  Hirschfeldia incana matched B. nigra and B.