DETAILED DAMAGE MECHANISMS ASSESSMENT IN COMPOSITE MATERIALS BY MEANS OF X-RAY TOMOGRAPHY

This research focused on the evaluation of damage formation on ±45o carbon fiber laminates subjected to tensile tests. The damage was evaluated by means of X-ray tomography. A high density of cracks developed during the plateau of the stress-strain curve and were qualitatively analyzed, showing that the inner plies eventually developed a higher crack concentration than the outer plies. Delamination started to occur in the outermost ply interface...