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.