Mechanical properties of fiber glass and Kevlar woven fabric reinforced composites

Abstract An experimental study was carried out on woven fabric/epoxy composites focusing on their mechanical properties under uniaxial tensile, flexural, compressive, short beam shear and Mode I interlaminar fracture loading conditions. Composites with fiber glass and Kevlar 49 woven fabrics and with different fabric constructions and microfiber additives were investigated. The interlaminar fracture behavior was characterized using double cantilever beam (DCB) test and the fracture mechanism was analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical properties were evaluated in uniaxial tension, three-point flexure, compression and short beam shear. The effects of the reinforcing fabric structure and microfiber additives to the matrix on the mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of the composites were analyzed.