Effect of displacement loading rates on mode-I fracture toughness of fiber glass-epoxy composite laminates

Size-effect method is used in determining mode-I fracture characteristics of woven fiber glass/epoxy composite laminates for varying loading rates. Tensile testing of geometrically similar single-edge notch (SEN) specimens with three widths 30 mm, 40 mm and 50 mm is carried out for four different displacement loading rates namely 1, 10, 100, 500 mm/min. For each width D and loading rate, the crack-length a is varied as 0.125D, 0.25D, 0.375D and...