ON THE USE OF ACOUSTIC-EMISSION TO INVESTIGATE DAMAGE MECHANISMS IN GLASS-FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE

The study of damage and fracture mechanisms in short-glass-fibre-reinf orced thermoplastics is of prime importance to improve the mechanical properties of this range of composite materials. In this experimental study, the damage mechanisms of four short-glass-fibre-reinforced poly propylenes are investigated in tensile, tensile fatigue and crack prop agation tests. Two parameters of the material composition are investig ated, the fibre length and the quality of the fibre matrix adhesion. T hese parameters show a great influence on the damage mechanisms, on th e mechanical properties and on the fatigue life of these four composit e materials. The use of acoustic emission (AE) and scanning electron m icroscopy (SEM) observations has enabled us to identify several damage mechanisms. Many differences in the damage mechanisms between the ten sile and crack propagation tests were observed in the SEM photographs. A good correlation was observed between these mechanisms and several ranges of AE amplitude. The use of both techniques (AE and SEM) is sho wn to be very useful in the investigation of damage phenomena in compo site materials.