Interlaminar and intralaminar fracture characterization of composites under mode I loading

The interlaminar and intralaminar fracture of laminated composites under mode I loading was studied using the double cantilever beam test. The effect of bridging on the measured fracture energy was assessed by cutting fibres during crack propagation. The fracture energy was evaluated considering a previously developed data reduction scheme based on the beam theory and crack equivalent concept. The model only requires the applied...