A SHORT REVIEW OF RECENT RESEARCH ON THE MECHANICS OF FRACTURE AND FAILURE IN COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Abstract

Composite materials have excellent properties in terms of fracture toughness and low weight. These materials are used for various industrial applications in the field of wind turbine, naval, aircraft and aerospace engineering. However, composite materials usually exhibit far more complex failure mechanisms than traditional metallic alloys. These failure mechanisms involve, for example, matrix deformation, fracture of fibers, interfacial debonding and crack deflection. Extensive studies have been documented in literature using theoretical models, numerical analysis and experimental methods. The article will review the most recent trends of the research on mechanical behavior of composites materials outlining also directions for future investigations.