Application of the Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) Technique for the Localisation Analysis of Damage Development in Composites

The analysis of the long-term behaviour of polymer matrix composites has to be performed for their stiffness evolution and for their strength changes. Long fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites exhibit an anisotropic viscoelastic-viscoplastic behaviour. The non-linear viscoelastic constitutive equations proposed by R. Schapery [1], with a viscoplastic correction are able to analyse the long-term stiffness evolution on the basis of some short-term creep and creep-recovery tests. For the strength analysis it is possible to consider some delayed failure approach as the end of a viscoelastic-viscoplastic behaviour. The experimental follow-up of the creep evolution till rupture needs a full field technique in order to have a complete view of the strain field and the evolution of this field where the damage initiation and development transforms the homogeneous strain distribution in an heterogeneous one. The ESPI technique shows clearly the location of the damage initiation and allows us to follow the damage development. Examples of the ESPI technique on graphite epoxy specimen will be presented and the results in relation to the delayed failure analysis will be discussed.