Transverse crack growth in glass/epoxy composites with exactly positioned long fibres. Part I: experimental

For the purpose of establishing an experimental basis for investigation of transverse crack growth in long fibre composites, this paper takes its orig in in constructing a device for manufacturing of composites with exactly po sitioned fibres, such that test specimens with the same fibre distributions are obtainable. The device has been used for manufacturing of test specime ns with regular fibre distributions, and by applying geometrical descriptor s it has been justified that the manufactured distributions are quasi-regul ar. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.