On the mixed mode I/II translaminar fracture of plain-weave carbon, E-glass and Kevlar reinforced laminated composites

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to investigate the influence of long fiber types on the translaminar fracture behvior of epoxy-based composites subjected to pure mode I, mixed mode I/II and pure mode II using a combined experimental study and finite element (FE) analysis. Compact tension shear (CTS) test configuration was used to determine the critical strain energy release rate (CSERR) of the laminated composites reinforced with three types of high-performance fibers: Carbon, E-glass and Kevlar fiber. We believe that this is the first published report on the full combination of mode I, mixed mode I/II and mode II translaminar fracture toughness of laminated composites reinforced by three types of fiber. The translaminar fracture envelopes of the tested materials were illustrated. The results revealed that the translaminar CSERR of the composite systems is strongly dependent on the reinforcement type and the loading condition. The mode I translaminar CSERR of E-glass, Carbon and Kevlar fiber reinforced composites are equal to 16.87, 13.52, and 18.29 kJ/m2, respectively. Besides, under mode II loading condition, the translaminar CSERR of the laminated composites reinforced by E-glass, Carbon and Kevlar is obtained as 15.21, 7.82, and 8.45 kJ/m2, respectively. Fractographic analysis manifested that fiber pull-out clustering, fiber splitting, fiber breakage and matrix cracking are the main energy dissipating mechanisms happened on the fracture surface of the laminated composites.