Prospects in fracture mechanics of “engineering” laminates

✍ Scribed by A.J. Brunner; P. Flüeler

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 429 KB
• Volume: 72
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0013-7944
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engfracmech.2004.08.002

✦ Synopsis

The test method development for inter-laminar fracture toughness testing of fibre-reinforced composites has yielded one international standard for Mode I opening loading of unidirectionally fibre-reinforced laminates so far. However, the bulk of composite materials in technical applications, summarily labelled ''engineering laminates'', mostly consists of laminates with optimised fibre-orientations, frequently varying from ply to ply, i.e., so-called multi-directional laminates. Increasingly, so-called ''three-dimensional'' laminates are also being developed and being put to use in engineering applications. The present paper explores some of the problems that arise when the standard Mode I test method is applied to engineering laminates in the form of cross-ply (0°/90°) lay-up or z-pin reinforced, three-dimensional composites.