Abstract
A comprehensive experimental study was conducted to identify the effects of fibre cross-sectional aspect ratio on tensile and flexural properties and the failure modes of glass-fibre/epoxy composites by using fibres of three different cross-sectional shapes (round, peanut-shaped and oval). It was found that the fibres of peanut and oval cross-sectional shapes tend to align with the long axis of the cross section perpendicular to the direction of the applied pressure or in the plane of a composite laminate. As a result, many fibres overlapped each other, having large contact areas which act as a path for longitudinal crack propagation. For composites with fibres of large cross-sectional aspect ratios, a cumulative damage progression with a high failure strain was observed in tensile and flexure tests in the longitudinal direction. However, the longitudinal tensile modulus and strength were nearly the same for the three composite systems. The transverse tensile strength and strain-to-failure results were similar to those for longitudinal tension, but the transverse tensile modulus was reduced for composites with fibres of large aspect ratios. These results indicate the fibre cross-sectional aspect ratio may not play an overriding role in the structure-property relationship for fibre-reinforced composites. However, the progressive failure process associated with fibres of large aspect ratios may enhance the toughness of composites.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1331-1339 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Composites Science and Technology |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 1999 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- B. Mechanical properties
- Fibre cross-sectional aspect ratio
- Fibre/matrix interface
- Glass-fibre/epoxy composites
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ceramics and Composites
- General Engineering