10 - Modelling defect severity for failure analysis of composites

Abstract

Manufacturing induced defects in composite materials cannot be fully avoided. A good engineering approach is to assess the effects of defects on the structural performance and accept the defects to the extent they can be safely allowed. This requires knowing how severe the defects are with respect to the failure mode that can be affected by their presence. This chapter describes procedures for quantifying defect severity relevant to formation of transverse cracks in unidirectional composites. The failure analysis for this failure mode is described and the criticality of failure is related to the proposed defect severity measures.