Abstract
Polarised light microscopy has been used to investigate the influence of stress level, interfibre spacing, and fibre–matrix adhesion on the fatigue micromechanisms in carbon–epoxy model composites consisting of a planar array of five intermediate modulus carbon fibres. It was found that an increase in fatigue stress results in an increase in the number of fibre breaks, a more coordinated fibre fracture pattern as a result of fibre–fibre interaction, and extensive interfacial damage. In addition, it was shown that a smaller interfibre spacing results in a higher level of fibre–fibre interaction. Finally, in the case of surface treated carbon fibres (good fibre–matrix adhesion), a more coordinated fibre failure pattern was observed owing to stronger fibre–fibre interaction, whereas in the case of untreated carbon fibres (poor fibre–matrix adhesion), extensive debonding was observed which resulted in a more random fibre failure pattern. Finally, the experimental results were validated by means of a three-dimensional finite element analysis.
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