Interfacial cracking of a composite

Interfacial cracking has been studied in a composite body compressed along the interface direction. Two possibilities were considered; a purely compressive debonding; and debonding as a result of compression-induced bending. The energy balance theory of brittle fracture allowed failure criteria to be obtained for these situations in terms of the interfacial fracture energy of the composite. These criteria were then verified by experiments using polymethylmethacrylate model laminates.