A Graphical Method Predicting the Compressive Strength of Toughened Unidirectional Composite Laminates

The in-plane shear and compressive properties of unidirectional (UD) HTS40/977-2 carbon fibre-toughened resin (CF/TR) laminates are investigated. Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy are used to reveal the failure mechanisms developed during compression. It is found that damage initiates by fibre microbuckling (a fibre instability failure mode) which then is followed by yielding of the matrix to form a fibre kink band zone...