Application of microline/grid methods to temperature dependent microscopic deformation and damage in CFRP laminates

Tensile tests of CFRP symmetric cross-ply laminates are carried out in a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and microscopic interlaminar deformation and damage near the transverse crack tip are visualized by microlines or microgrids printed on the specimen edge surface. The local deformation around the transverse crack tip is observed at 20°C, 80°C, 120°C and 160°C to evaluate the effect of thermal residual stress on the microscopic deformation and damage in the interlaminar region near the transverse crack tip. Temperature dependence of the axial crack opening displacement (COD) is also measured. The displacement field of the specimen edge surface obtained from these experimental results is compared with the theoretical model proposed by Lee, Allen and Harris. The analysis is modified to consider the temperature effect, and a good agreement is obtained between the modified theoretical predictions and experimental results.