FAILURE BEHAVIOR OF KNITTED FABRIC COMPOSITES

This paper presents experimental and theoretical studies of the failur e behavior of knitted fabric composites. Test results of the tensile a nd shear strengths of plain-stitch and rib-stitch fabric composites ar e presented. It has been determined that fracture initiates due to yar n/matrix debonding, and the interfacial crack propagates along the var n/matrix interface. An analytical model of the failure behavior based upon observation of the fracture surface is presented. A good agreemen t between experimental and predicted failure strengths is obtained for plain-stitch fabric composites under warp direction loading. Large di screpancies exist between predicted and experimental strengths for oth er cases.