Skip to Main Content
Skip Nav Destination
ASTM Selected Technical Papers
Analysis of the Test Methods for High Modulus Fibers and Composites
By
JM Whitney
JM Whitney
1
Materials research engineer
,
Air Force Materials Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
,
Ohio 45433
;
symposium chairman
Search for other works by this author on:
ISBN-10:
0-8031-0701-3
ISBN:
978-0-8031-0701-4
No. of Pages:
417
Publisher:
ASTM International
Publication date:
1973

The emergence of advanced filamentary composite materials as a structural material comes at a time of increasing concern over reliability. This places increasing emphasis on the ability to characterize the fracture and fatigue behavior of these materials. The importance of understanding fracture behavior is intensified because of the characteristic statistical variability in material strength and the observation of fracture phenomena that are significantly different from those of metals. This paper discusses what appear to be the three main approaches being pursued. The first applies classical fracture mechanics (CFM) on a macroscopic level, treating composites as homogeneous, anisotropic materials. The second recognizes material heterogeneity and applies CFM to the problems of crack propagation in the matrix and fiber phases and interfaces separately. The third method, which might be called the material modeling approach, uses approximate models in order to represent the major effects of heterogeneity and simplify the analysis. The advantages and limitations of each of the three approaches are discussed and predictions compared with available experimental data. The emphasis is on material modeling, and it is shown that with the use of relatively simple models it is possible to predict many of the unusual fracture phenomena that are observed.

1.
Herring
,
Harvey
, “
Fundamental of Mechanisms of Tensile Fracture in Aluminum Sheet Unidirectionally Reinforced with Boron Filaments
,” NASA TR R-383,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
,
1972
.
2.
Rice
,
J. R.
and
Sih
,
G. E.
Journal of Applied Mechanics
 0021-8936, Vol.
32
,
1965
, pp. 418–423.
3.
Puppo
,
A. H.
and
Evensen
,
H. A.
,
Journal of Composite Materials
 0021-9983, Vol.
4
,
04
1970
, pp. 204–220.
4.
Pagano
,
N. J.
and
Pipes
,
R. B.
,
Journal of Composite Materials
 0021-9983, Vol.
5
,
01
1971
, pp. 50–57.
5.
Pipes
,
R. B.
and
Pagano
,
K. J.
,
Journal of Composite Materials
 0021-9983, Vol.
4
,
10
1970
, pp. 538–548.
6.
Cooper
,
G. A.
and
Kelly
,
A.
,
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
 0022-5096, Vol.
15
,
1967
, pp. 279–297.
7.
Kelly
,
A.
,
Proceedings
, Royal Society, A319,
1970
, pp. 95–116.
8.
Piggott
,
M. R.
,
Journal of Material Science
 0022-2461, Vol.
5
,
1970
, pp. 669–675.
9.
Harrison
,
N. L.
,
Fibre Science and Technology
 0015-0568, Vol.
4
,
1971
, pp. 37–47.
10.
Hedgepeth
,
J. M.
, “
Stress Concentrations in Filamentary Structures
,” NASA TN-D882,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
,
05
1961
.
11.
Fichter
,
W. B.
, “
Stress Concentration Around Broken Filaments in a Filament-Stiffened Sheet
, NASA TN D-5433,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
,
1969
.
12.
Hedgepeth
,
J. M.
and
Van Dyke
,
P.
,
Journal of Composite Materials
 0021-9983, Vol.
1
,
1967
, pp. 294–309.
13.
Van Dyke
,
P.
and
Hedgepeth
,
J. M.
,
Textile Research Journal
 0040-5175, Vol.
39
, No.
7
,
07
1969
, pp. 618–626.
14.
Zweben
,
C.
, “
An Approximate Method of Analysis for Notched Unidirectional Composites
,” to be published in
Engineering Fracture Mechanics
.
15.
Zweben
,
C.
,
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
 0022-5096, Vol.
19
,
1971
, pp. 103–116.
16.
Zweben
,
C.
,
Journal of Composite Materials
 0021-9983, Vol.
3
,
10
1969
. pp. 713.
17.
Design Data for Composite Structure Safelife Prediction
,” Third Quarterly Report, Contract F33615-71-C-1604,
U. S. Air Force Materials Laboratory
.
18.
Wu
,
E. M.
,
Journal of Applied Mechanics
 0021-8936, Vol.
34-E
, No.
4
,
1967
, pp. 967–974.
19.
Stanford
,
R. J.
and
Stonesifer
,
F. R.
, “
Fracture Toughness of Filament-Wound Composites, Part 1: Effect of Material Variables
,” Report NRL-7112,
Naval Research Laboratory
, Wash., D. C,
07
1970
.
20.
Sih
,
G. C.
, “
Fracture Mechanics Studies of Composite Systems
,” Report IFSM-71-9,
Institute of Fracture and Solid Mechanics
, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.,
06
1971
.
21.
Irwin
,
G. R.
, “
Analytical Aspects of Crack Stress Field Problems
,” TAM Report No. 213,
University of Illinois, Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
, Urbana, Ill.,
1962
.
22.
Konish
,
H. J.
, Jr.
, et al
, “
Experimental Investigation of Fracture in an Advanced Fiber Composite
,” Report SM-74,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Institute of Technology
, Pittsburgh, Pa.,
09
1971
.
23.
Waddoups
,
M. E.
,
Eisenman
,
J. R.
, and
Kaminski
,
B. E.
, “
Macroscopic Fracture Mechanics of Advanced Composite Materials
,”
Journal of Composite Materials
 0021-9983, Vol.
5
,
1971
, pp. 446–454.
24.
Greszczuk
,
L. B.
in
Composite Materials: Testing and Design, (Second Conference) ASTM STP 497
,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
1972
, pp. 363–381.
25.
Rowlands
,
R. E.
,
Daniel
,
I. M.
, and
Whiteside
,
J. B.
, “
Stress and Failure Analysis of a Glass Epoxy Composite Plate with a Hole
,” 1971 Fall Meeting, Society for Experimental Stress Analysis,
Milwaukee, Wis.
,
10
1971
.
26.
Kies
,
J. A.
, “
The Strength of Glass Fibers and the Failure of Filament Wound Pressure Vessels
,” NRL Report 6034,
Naval Research Laboratory
, Washington, D. C,
1963
.
27.
Zweben
,
C.
,
Journal
, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Vol.
6
, No.
12
,
12
1968
, pp. 2325–2331.
28.
Hamilton
,
R. G.
and
Berg
,
C. A.
, “
Fracture Mechanics of Composite Laminates
,” Second ASTM Conference on Composite Materials; Testing and Design,
Anaheim, Calif.
,
04
1971
.
29.
Kendall
,
D. P.
, “
Crack Growth Resistance in Laminated, Glass-Epoxy Sheet
,”
Proceedings
, 5th National Symposium on Fracture Mechanics, to be published by the American Society for Testing and Materials.
30.
Kendall
,
D.
, private communication, to be published.
31.
Cruse
,
T. A.
and
Swedlow
,
J. A.
, “
Interactive Program for Analysis and Design Problems in Advanced Composites Technology
,” Technical Report AFML-TR-71-268,
Air Force Materials Laboratory
,
1971
.
32.
Freeman
,
R.
, “
Design Data for Composite Failure Safelife Prediction
,” Fifth Quarterly Report, Contract F33615-71-C-1604,
Air Force Materials Laboratory
.
33.
McGarry
,
F. J.
and
Mandell
,
J. F.
, “
Fracture Toughness of Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Laminates
,” Special Discussion on Solid-Solid Interfaces,
The Chemical Society, Faraday Division
, Nottingham, England,
09
1972
.
34.
Phillips
,
D. C.
and
Tetelman
,
A. S.
,
Composites
 0010-4361, Vol.
3
, No.
5
,
1972
, pp. 216–223.
This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this chapter.
Close Modal

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal