Fracture Mechanics of Carbon Fibre Laminates

Critical stress intensity factors and fracture surface energies have been measured for a series of 0°/90° carbon fibre reinforced epoxide and carbon fibre reinforced glass composites. The fracture surface energies have been measured by three separate techniques, one of which depends on the applicability of the Griffith-Irwin criterion and the others of which do not. A comparison of these energies and of the dependence of critical stress intensity factors on crack length therefore provides information about the. applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics to carbon fibre com-posites