Search

Double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens composed of carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminate composites were tested. Two material systems were investigated. One consisted of plies from a woven prepreg alternating with tows in the 0 ∘ / 90 ∘ -directions and the + 45 ∘ / - 45 ∘ -directions. The second was fabricated by means of a wet-layup process with the same multi-directions as the prepreg. In addition, for the second material system, a unidirectional (UD) fabric ply was added. The delamination for this laminate was between the UD fabric and the woven ply with tows in the + 45 ∘ / - 45 ∘ -directions. Both fracture resistance R-curve and fatigue delamination propagation tests were carried out. It is found that the initiation value of the interface energy release rate is substantially lower for the wet-layup; whereas, their steady state values are quite similar. The fatigue delamination propagation tests were performed at various cyclic R-ratios. The delamination propagation rate da/dN was calculated from the experimental data and plotted using a modified Paris equation with different functions of the mode I energy release rate. As expected, the da/dN curves depend upon the R-ratio. By using another parameter based on the Hartman–Schijve equation for metals, it is possible to obtain a master-curve for all R-ratios. It is seen that the propagation rate for the prepreg is faster than that of the wet-layup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]