Production of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy based layered composites and investigation of their fracture behaviors

In this study, the effect of ambient temperature on mod-I inter-layer fracture toughness and delamination progress of a unidirectional carbon fiber / epoxy layered composite material was investigated. Plates containing artificial delamination were produced by vacuum infusion method and Double Console Beam (CCK) samples obtained from these plates were subjected to mod-I fracture under static loading. Thus, the fracture toughness (critical deformation energy) and deformation energy dissipation rate (SERR) of the carbon fiber / epoxy layered composite material were determined under static Mod-I loading. Subsequently, carbon fiber / epoxy layered composite CCP samples were subjected to re-mode-I fracture at different ambient temperatures ranging from the cryogenic temperature values to the temperatures above the glass transition temperature of the epoxy. In addition, the development of delamination between laminated composite materials is modeled in accordance with linear elastic fracture mechanics. Experimental results were tried to be obtained by numerical method by changing the ambient temperature with Finite Element based Virtual Crack Closure Technique. The results were compared and evaluated.