Naghdali Choupani - Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

This paper investigates mixed-mode interlaminar fracture behavior in woven carbon fibre/polyetherimide (CF/PEI) thermoplastic composite material based on experimental and numerical analyses. Experiments were conducted using the special test loading device. By varying the loading angle, from 0 to 90, pure mode-I, pure mode-II and a wide range of mixed-mode data were obtained experimentally. Using the finite-element results, correction factors were applied to the specimen. Based on experimentally measured critical loads, mixed-mode interlaminar fracture toughness for the composite under consideration determined. The fracture surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy to gain insight into the failure responses.

Interlaminar Fracture, Mixed-mode, Finite-element analysis, CF/PEI composite