Crack Advancement in a Carbon Fibre-Epoxy Composite Observed by Dynamic Scanning Electron Microscopy

摘要

Instrumented tensile tests of double edge notched carbon fiber-epoxy specimens were performed inside the vacuum chamber of a scanning electron microscope. The formation of damage at the notch tip was observed and its effect on laminate strength was measured for a variety of crossply layups. Of all the damage processes observed, splitting in the 0 degree plies was found to have the greatest influence on laminate strength.