ABSTRACT
A bstract. This paper describes a trial of monitoring fracture processes of SiC fiber reinforced aluminum composites with embedded optical fiber. It was embedded in composites reinforced with SiC fiber of different volume fractions by the interphase forming/bonding method using copper insert. These composites were tensile tested with measuring optical transmission loss. The results show that fracture of optical fiber starts at smaller strain than that of SiC fiber. The embedded optical fiber works as an optical path even after severe multiple fractures. Optical transmission loss is dependent on the number of optical fiber breakages. As fracture of SiC fiber enhances that of optical fiber and is reflected on optical transmission loss, fractures of SiC fibers can be detected by monitoring of optical transmission loss. It can also reflect the type of fracture process of the composite, that is, cumulative or non-cumulative.
