Volume 9, Issue 5, 2000

Studies on Mixed Mode Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of M55J/M18 Carbon/Epoxy Laminates

S.Jose1, R. Ramesh Kumar2*, G.Venkateswara Rao3 and P.Sriram4

1Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, T.K.M.College of Engg., Kollam 691005, INDIA

2Engineer and 3 Group Director, Structural Engineering Group, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022 INDIA

4 Associate Professor, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering., Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Chennai 600036, INDIA

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed

(Received 4/00; accepted 8/00)

ABSTRACT

Experimental studies are carried out to determine the interlaminar fracture toughness of unidirectional laminates made of M55J/M18 carbon/epoxy material under different mixed mode ratios (GI /GII). A mixed mode delamination fracture criterion using mixed mode bending specimens is developed. It is observed that when loading in mode I is predominant, GII has a considerable value but the opposite is not true when mode II is predominant.




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