Author(s)

J. Echaabi, F. Trochu & M. Ouellet

Abstract

The main objectives of this study are to monitor damage progression step by step of a quasi-isotropic graphite-epoxy composite in flexural bending test and to compare the experimental results obtained with the theoretical predictions of various failure criteria. The failure sequence has been monitored by a C-Scan technique and a microscopic investigation. Initiation and growth of cracks which lead to delamination have been identified up to the first macroscopic failure. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results show that the failure criteria used in this study don't permit to predict the failure sequence nor the load at the first macroscopic failure.

Keywords