Page 91 - Engineered Interfaces in Fiber Reinforced Composites

74 Engineered interfaces in $her reinforced composites

Fig. 3.26. Schematic drawing of transverse tensile test specimen.

3.4. Interlaminar fracture toughness

3.4.1. Delamination

Delamination represents the weakest failure mode in laminated composites, and is
considered to be the most prevalent life-limiting crack growth mode in most
composite structures. As such, ever-increasing attention has been directed toward
the understanding and characterization of delaminations of various natures, and at

I
I
3
Normalised interface shear strength

Fig. 3.27. Effect of the interface shear strength on mechanical properties of carbon fiber-epoxy matrix
composites: (0) transverse tensile strength; (A) maximum transverse tensile strain; (0) transverse tensile
modulus. After Madhukar and Drzal (1991).