Abstract
Model glass fibre/polyester resin composites have been made in the form of double cantilever beams and the effect of a small number of fibres on quasi-static crack propagation has been studied by simultaneous plotting of load/deflection curves, measurements of crack length, and observation of the progress of fibre/resin debonding and fibre pull-out. By varying the condition of the fibre surface and the arrangement of the fibres to a limited extent and carrying out subsidiary experiments on single-fibre samples of identical character it has been possible to make direct measurements of all of the important parameters required for an analysis of the macroscopic behaviour in terms of established models of fibre/matrix interaction. Agreement between experimental and calculated fracture energies for these model composites is not highly satisfactory, but it seems clear that the fracture energy of grp is likely to be determined very largely by work done against friction between fibres and matrix after the debonding process has occurred. This conclusion opposes the currently-held view which attributes the largeγ F values of grp to the fibre/resin debonding mechanism.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
F. J. McGarry andJ. F. Mandell, 27th Annual Technical Conference of the Reinforced Plastics/Composites Institute of the Society of the Plastics Industry, paper 9-A (1972).
F. A. Johnson andJ. C. Radon,Eng. Fract. Mechs. 4 (1972) 555.
R. Griffiths andD. G. Holloway,J. Mater. Sci. 5 (1970) 302.
A. Ankara, Sussex University, private communication.
M. C. Murphy andJ. O. Outwater, 28th Annual Technical Conference, Reinforced Plastics/Composites Institute of SPI, paper 17-A (1973); also 24th Annual Technical Conference, paper 11c (1969).
L. J. Broutman, in “Modern Composite materials”, edited by L. J. Broutman and R. H. Krock (Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass., 1967) p. 337.
O. K. Johannson, F. O. Stark, G. E. Vogel, R. M. Fleischmann andO.L. Flaningam, in “Fundamental Aspects of Fibre Reinforced Plastic Composites”, edited by R. T. Schwartz and H. S. Schwartz (Interscience, New York, 1968) p. 199.
W. S. Carswell andA. H. Lockhart, unpublished internal report, N.E.L., East Kilbride.
P. Hancock andR. C. Cuthbertson,J. Mater. Sci. 5 (1970) 762.
J. O. Outwater andM. C. Murphy,Modern Plastics 7 (1970) 160; see alsoJ. Adhesion 2 (1970) 242.
M. J. Owen andR. G. Rose,J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 6 (1973) 42.
A. A. Griffith,Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. A221 (1921) 163.
R. H. Norman, D. I. James andG. M. Gale Chem. Eng. October (1964) 243.
V. Laws, P. Lawrence andR. W. Nurse,J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 6 (1973), 523.
A. B. Pippard, “Classical Thermodynamics” (Cambridge U.P. 1961).
T. U. Marston, A. G. Atkins andD. K. Felbeck,J. Mater. Sci. 9 (1974) 447.
A. Kelly,Proc. Roy. Soc. A319 (1970) 95.
M. R. Piggott,Acta Met. 14 (1966) 1429.
A. Kelly, “Strong Solids” (Oxford U.P., 1966) p. 161.
A. H. Cottrell,Proc. Roy. Soc. A282 (1964) 2.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harris, B., Morley, J. & Phillips, D.C. Fracture mechanisms in glass-reinforced plastics. J Mater Sci 10, 2050–2061 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00557483
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00557483