Mode-II Interlaminar Fracture of Composites

Abstract This chapter will present fracture mechanics and experimental mechanics approaches used to characterize mode-II interlaminar fracture of composites. This chapter is organized into four major sections: background, analytical, numerical, and experimental results. The first section documents from an historical viewpoint, the various mode-II specimen geometries that have been proposed prior to the emergence of the end notch flexure (ENF) specimen as the most frequently used test method to characterize mode-II interlaminar fracture toughness. The second section focuses on analytical approaches to model the ENF specimen that includes shear deformation beam theory, shear deformation plate theory where the crack-tip singularity is introduced as a surface traction and a higher-order beam theory. Specimen design procedures to maintain linear elastic response and to minimize geometric non-linearities and friction between crack surfaces are presented. The third section reviews numerical results. Compliance, strain energy release rates, delamination offset from the mid-plane and frictional effects are investigated. Results are compared to analytical solutions. The last section reviews experimental mechanics techniques used to characterize the static mode-II interlaminar fracture toughness of composites.

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