• Composites Research
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.14-18
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• 2002

In the present study, we investigated the effects or hydrostatic pressure and stacking sequence on the elastic work factor to determine compressive fracture toughness of graphite/epoxy laminated composites in the hydrostatic pressure environment. The stacking sequences used were unidirectional. $\textrm{[}0^{\circ}\textrm{]}_{88}$ and multi-directional, $\textrm{[}0^{\circ}/\pm/45^{\circ}/90^{\circ}\textrm{]}_{11s}$. The hydrostatic pressures applied for a $\textrm{[}0^{\circ}\textrm{]}_{88}$ case were 0.1 MPa, 70MPa, 140MPa. and 200MPa. The hydrostatic pressures applied for a $\textrm{[}0^{\circ}/\pm/45^{\circ}/90^{\circ}\textrm{]}_{11s}$ case were 0.1MPa, 100MPa, 200MPa, and 300MPa. It was found that the elastic work factor was not affected by the hydrostatic pressure and the stacking sequence. Also, it was found that the elastic work factor decreased in a linear fashion with delamination length.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.1390-1393
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• 2003

Work factor approach is conveniently used in metal fracture mechanics to determine fracture toughness from a single fracture test. In this work, we investigated the applicability of the work factor approach in order to determine fracture toughness of thick graphite/epoxy composites in the hydrostatic pressure environment from a single fracture test. The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the elastic work factor was studied, The stacking sequence used was multi-directional, [0$^{\circ}$/${\pm}$45$^{\circ}$/90$^{\circ}$]. The hydrostatic pressures applied were 0.1 MPa, 100 MPa, 200 MPa, and 300 MPa. The results showed that the elastic work factor was not affected by the hydrostatic pressure, The elastic work factor decreased in a linear fashion with crack length.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.2792-2799
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• 1996

It was shown in the previous study that the numerically derived elastic work factor for CLS specimen was independent of fiber direction for a unidirectional case. Also, it was proposed the elastic work factor could be used to determine energy release rate from a single test record. In the present study, elastic work factor was derived from a simple beam theory to investigate its dependence on material property and geometric condition. Also, the elastic work factor of CLS specimen was applied experimentally to determine critical energy release rate in order to prove its validity determining critical energy release rate from a single specimen. For this purpose, critical energy release rate determined using the elastic work factor was compared with that determined by the compliance method. The results showed that while elastic work factor is affected by $t_2/t_1$ and $L_2/L_1$ it is independent of fiber angle for a unidirectional case. It was also found that critical energy release rates determined by both methods are comparable each other, thus elastic work factor approach can be used to determine energy release rate from a single test specimen.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.540-544
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• 1998

Compliance calibration method is frequently used to determine $G_IC$ from the DCB composite specimen. However, the method requires at least 4 to 5 fracture test (loading-unloading) records. In this study, $G_IC$ of unidirectional graphite/epoxy DCB composites was determined from the elastic work factor approach which uses a single fracture test record. In order to inspect the validity of the elastic work factor approach, $G_IC$ determined from the elastic work factor approach was compared to that of determined from the compliance calibration method. It was shown that $G_IC$ determined from the elastic work factor approach was comparable to that determined from the compliance calibration method. That is, the elastic work factor approach can be used to determine $G_IC$ of unidirectional graphite/epoxy DCB specimen from a single fracture record.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.23 no.11 s.170
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• pp.1952-1959
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• 1999

The work factor approach, so-called single specimen technique could be used to determine energy release rate from a single test record for unidirectional CLS specimen. In the present study, the work factor approach was extended to determine the mixed-mode fracture toughness of multi-directional graphite/epoxy laminated composites. Multi-directional CLS specimens were used for fracture tests. The stacking sequences used for the lap and the strap were $[90_2/0_2]_s/[0_4/90_4]_s$ and $[0/\pm45/0]_s/[0_2/\pm45_2/0_2]_2$, respectively. For both cases, the fracture toughness determined from the work factor approach was compared with that determined from the compliance method. It was found that both methods produced fracture toughness within a maximum 15% difference for each stacking sequence. The fractography analysis also showed that the fiber bridging occurred for$[0/\pm45/0]_s/[0_2/\pm45_2/0_2]_2$ case while it did not occur for $[90_2/0_2]_s/[0_4/90_4]_s$ case.