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The Influence of Fibre Volume Fraction on the Mode I Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of a Glass-Fibre/Vinyl Ester Composite

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Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of fibre volume fraction on the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness G Ic of a glass-fibre/vinyl ester composite. Two fibre volume fraction parameters are defined; a global value for the composite specimen and a value for the fibre-dense intralaminar regions. The range of global fibre volume fraction studied was 32–52 %. Results show that G Ic values for crack initiation are independent of fibre volume fraction and similar to matrix resin G Ic . Variations in the G Ic for steady-state crack propagation, and the amount of fibre bridging, are not completely explained by changes in global fibre volume fraction. Instead they are consistent with fibre volume fraction in the fibre-dense intralaminar regions, through which the crack preferred to grow. It is concluded that this latter parameter is more relevant for G Ic characterisation as a function of fibre volume fraction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia

    P. Compston & P.-Y. B. Jar

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  1. P. Compston
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  2. P.-Y. B. Jar
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Compston, P., Jar, PY.B. The Influence of Fibre Volume Fraction on the Mode I Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of a Glass-Fibre/Vinyl Ester Composite. Applied Composite Materials 6, 353–368 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008973211347

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008973211347

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