THE IMPACT OF MULTIAXIALITY ON THE STATIC AND FATIGUE FRACTURE OF CARBON/EPOXY POLYMER COMPOSITES

Polymer composites can be used in a plethora of applications, creating lightweight and durable structures. Their anisotropy together with the complexity of the laminate structure can lead to multiaxial stress states within the material, which can significantly affect the fracture process. In this work, carbon/epoxy laminates with different stacking sequences, and consequently different stress states, are tested under static and fatigue conditions. It is demonstrated that multiaxiality plays a crucial role in the fracture process and that shear stresses create severe damage conditions within the material.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT