FAILURE CHARACTERISTICS IN CARBON EPOXY COMPOSITE TOWS/

In this paper the failure mechanisms of unidirectional aligned carbon fibre/epoxy composites are investigated. Experimental results are pres ented for the strength of carbon/epoxy composite tows, as well as for single carbon fibres supplied in the sized and unsized condition. Lase r Raman spectroscopy was used in this study to assess the effect of fi bre breaks on the stress distribution within a composite. Fibre stress mapping of composite tows using laser Raman spectroscopy showed load redistribution due to fibre failure and a value of the stress concentr ation factor, K-I, was obtained. The results were analysed using a Wei bull distribution for the strength of the reinforcing fibres and compo site. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited