| Abstract: | The extensive use of advanced fibre composite materials for aircraft construction has necessitated the development of a damage tolerance methodology for aircraft components. Such a methodology would facilitate the design of more efficient and reliable composite structures and their maintenance in service. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize and understand the complex failure modes of fibre composites, including the influence of temperature, moisture and various defects arising from manufacture or service conditions.This paper briefly discusses the present status of some approaches to the experimental characterization of pure and mixed-mode fracture of composite laminates. |
