Abstract
This paper presents an experimental and analytical investigation of thermally-induced cracking in cross-ply, graphite/epoxy composites. It is shown experimentally that both rates and amplitudes of the thermal excursions affect the extent and the form of damage. The analytical study shows that the early stages of sufficiently slow thermal excursions result in crack patterns that are analogous to mechanical loading effects, and can be assessed by an approximate, two-dimensional micro-cracking model. However, three-dimensional aspects of the spatially non-uniform stress field may have to be included to model crack formation under subsequent temperature excursions or rapid thermal fluctuations. In the latter cases oblique and curved cracks develop and the laminate is susceptible to internal and free-edge delaminations.
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