ABSTRACT

A composite material is a combination of two or more materials at a macroscopic

scale created to produce a more useful material. This resulting composite

material has some properties that are superior to its constituents. Fibers of various

kinds have been used in the past as reinforcements in a variety of matrix

materials. The most popular of these are glass fiber reinforcements in a polymeric

matrix. Various physical properties of these fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) such

as the tensile strength, compressive strength, stiffness, and so on, have been well

characterized; however, relatively little work has been carried out on the fracture

properties of these materials. This chapter summarizes the important fracture

mechanics issues such as the fracture mechanics concepts, fracture toughness

testing, and fracture toughness results of the FRPs.