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Brazilian Disc Test for Polymer Matrix Composites
Abstract
The Brazilian disc experiment has been used to indirectly measure the tensile properties of heterogeneous materials. Due to the fibrous nature of polymer matrix composites, the random distribution of fibers, shape, and size could influence fracture initiation and propagation. The Brazilian disc could be utilized to understand how the microstructure influences the failure behavior of interfacial debonding and matrix crack formation. Furthermore, damage propagation in many microstructural experiments can be extremely catastrophic and the need for a slow growth crack propagation methodology would be extremely beneficial to the micromechanics community. Two cylinders of 1.6 mm and 2.75 mm diameter Brazilian discs were designed to undergo testing to extract indirect tensile data. Additional experiments were conducted to capture displacements and strain via digital image correlation using stereomicroscopy. These two different size cylinders were obtained from IM7/977-3 unidirectional laminates [0]24 via core drilling through the side of the panel. The purpose of this research is to determine the efficacy of the Brazilian disc in relation to understanding how the microstructure plays a role in the failure of composite materials. Discrete damage modeling approaches also aided in understanding how failure occurs given the stress state of the material.
DOI
10.12783/asc35/34913
10.12783/asc35/34913