ment was obtained between the model and

results from the literature.

ing at the fibre end. The nature of the stress

fields and their distributions were discussed.

A progressive failure model for composite

laminates containing openings
Tan, S.C. Journal o f Composite Materials Vol
25 No 5 (1991) pp 556-577
There are many causes of progressive damage
in composites containing stress concentrations (openings) such as matrix cracking,
fibre/matrix splitting, fibre breakage and
delamination. The wide variety of failure
mechanisms were simply modelled using a
damaged ply constitutive relationship which
was solved using finite element techniques.
Residual thermal and hygroscopic stresses
are included in the model. Load increment
was shown to have little effect on ultimate
strength. The model agreed well with experimental results for strength, stress/strain
behaviour and damage accumulation.

Strength and fracture of grasses

Vincent, J.F.V. Journal o f Materials Science
I/ol26 No 7 (1991) pp 1947-1950
The strength and fracture toughness of six
grasses have been measured in tension.
Increases in strength and toughness are
related to the amount of sclerenchyma the
grasses contain. Sclerenchyma is normally
present as isolated bundles. However, at high
volume fractions it is observed that bundles
fuse laterally and although the grass is
stronger, it becomes more brittle.

Pull-out and fragmentation in model fibre

composites
Gent, A.N. and Liu, G.L. Journal o f Materials Science Vol26 No 9 (1991) pp 2467-2476
A study was made of the debonding and fibre
rupture of model composites (a glass rod
embedded in a transparent silicone rubber
block). Basic fibre pull-out and fragmentation tests were performed and the results
compared with the predictions of a theory
based on a fracture energy criterion for
debonding. By extrapolating the debonded
length to zero the debonding force in the
absence of friction is obtained. A further
study shows that frictional stress between cast
silicone rubber and glass is approximately
constant due to a smooth matrix/fibre interface.
Reliability analysis of continuous fibre composite laminates
Thomas, D.J. and Wetherhold, R.C. Composite Structures Vo117 No 4 (1991) pp 277294
The heterogeneous nature of composites and
variability of processing give composites an
inherently high variability in material
strengths. Rather than using a model adapted
from a conventional homogeneous material,
this paper uses a probabilistic approach. Two
solutions were used, one where the strengths
act separately (modal or independent action)
and one where they interact through a quadratic interaction criterion. Upper and lower
bounds of reliability were derived and their
sensitivities to variations in applied load and
material strengths illustrated.
Singular stress and displacement fields
around the corner point of a fibre end in short
fibre reinforced composites
Kohno, Y. and Ishikawa, H. International
Journal o f Engineering Science Vol 29 No 8
(1991) pp 1005-1012
The strength of short fibre-reinforced plastics
has been experimentally shown to be determined by either pull-out of the fibre after
interface debonding or propagation of
debonding cracks at the fibre end. Stress and
displacements fields for three types of
singular points were obtained using an eigenfunction expansion method. The types of
points studied were: (1) debonding at the
fibre end and at the interface; (2) complete
bonding near the fibre end; and (3) debond-

474

Strength of sandwich beams with interface

debondings
Zenkert, D. Composite Structures Vol 17 No
4 (1991) pp 311-350
Debonding in the adhesive joints between the
faces and core in sandwich beams can reduce
both the stiffness and load-carrying capacity
of the beam. An analytical model was developed assuming that the cracks/debonding
were at the core/face interface. Stress intensities calculated from the model were successfully compared with those from finite d e m e n t
models. Using fracture toughness values
from simple experimental test-pieces,
fracture loads for beams with simulated
debonding could be accurately predicted.
Verification of laminated plate theory for
unsymmetrical laminates
Parhizgar, S. Journal o f Composite Materials
Vol25 No 5 (1991) pp 578-592
Non-linear laminated plate theory provides a
theoretical basis for determining the stiffness
properties of unsymmetrical laminated composites from the stiffness properties of their
plies. However, previous attempts to verify
the theory have used standard test fixtures
which couple axial deformations with
shearing, bending and twisting. This paper
designs a grip system to decouple the deformation modes for a 0/90 laminated strip and
introduces a procedure to determine the
stiffness constants AI~ and B'~ of the
laminate.

METAL MA TRICES
Fatigue behaviour of a 2xxx series aluminium
alloy reinforced with 15 vol pct SiCp
Bonnen, J.J., Allison, J.E. and Jones, J.W.
Metallurgical Transactions A Vol 22A No 5
(1991) pp 1007-1020
The addition of particulate reinforcement to
an aluminium alloy has been shown to significantly influence fatigue behaviour. This
paper compares the fatigue lives of a naturally aged powder metallurgy 2xxx alloy and a
composite made with 15% of particulate SiC
reinforcement using load-controlled axial
testing of unnotched cylindrical samples at
stress ratios o f - 1 , 0.1 and 0.7. Fatigue life
decreased with increasing mean stress for
both alloy and composite but the composite
displayed improved resistance to stresscontrolled fatigue at low and intermediate
stress levels compared with the alloy. The
performance of the composite was inferior on
a strain-life basis. Fatigue life was not seen to
vary with the specific crack initiation site in
the composite or the alloy.

COMPOSITES. NOVEMBER 1991

Fracture mechanism in a SIC,--6061 AI composite

Ma, Z.Y., Liu, J. and Yao, C.K. Journal of
Materials Science Vol 26 No 7 (1991)
pp 1971-1976
Samples of as-extruded SIC,,,/6061 AI composite have been dynamically tested with a
tensile stage in an SEM and the process of
fracture observed continuously. The off-axis
angle was found to have a great effect on the
tensile strength of the composite. The SEM
observations are compared with brittle
fracture and shear fracture models.
Influence of lithium on the mechanical properties of the mechanical composite materials
based on the entectic AI-5.7% Ni alloy
Terao, N. Journal o f Materials Science Vol26
No 8 (1991) pp 2093-2099
Composites consisting of fine particles in a
ductile matrix are produced from the eutectic
alloy AI-5.7% Ni by casting into a copper
mould and subsequent isostatic extrusion.
The addition of a small amount of lithium is
found to significantly increase the tensile
strength. TEM observations showed this to
be due to solid-solution hardening up to
lithium contents of 1.7 wt% and precipitation
hardening above this value.
Interface and fracture of carbon fibre reinforced AI-7 wt% Si alloy
Yang, M. and Scott, V.D. Journal o f Materials Science Vol26 No 6 (1991) pp 1609-1617
An AI-7 wt% alloy reinforced with carbon
fibres has been extensively characterized with
optical, scanning electron and analytical
electron microscopy. The composite was
produced by melt infiltration and the interface between the fibre and the matrix was of
particular interest. Mechanical tests in fourpoint bend were carried out and the properties measured are explained in terms of the
microstructure observed. The aluminium in
the alloy was found to react with the fibre to
produce aluminium carbide. This produced a
strong fibre/matrix bond, reduced the fibre
strength and caused matrix embrittlement.
As a result in longitudinal specimens the
fibres failed at low stresses, before brittle
catastrophic failure.
Interface structure in infiltrates composites of
aluminium reinforced with alumina-silica
fibre preforms
Li, Q., Dunand, D.C., Mortensen, D.C. and
Cornie, J.A. Metallurgical Transactions A
Vo122A No 5 (1991) pp 1126-1128
This paper used TEM techniques to investigate the interface in composites produced by
infiltration of alumina fibre preforms containing a silica binder with aluminium. The
binder ensured cohesion of the preform but
was known to be unstable in liquid aluminium. When infiltrated by aluminium a
preform kept at a temperature below the
melting point of aluminium yielded intimate
fibre/matrix contact and the interface showed
no reaction products. The binder was found
in patches at the interface and showed limited
reaction with the matrix.
Mechanical bebaviour of cast particulate
SiC/AI (A356) metal matrix composites
Wang, Z. and Zhang, R.J. Metallurgical
Transactions A Vo122A No 7 (1991) pp 15851594
The deformation behaviour has been studied
in both tension and compression of the
aluminium-matrix alloy (A356) and its corn-

posite containing 15% SiC produced by the

molten metal mixing route. Fracture surfaces
were subjected to SEM examination. The
composite was found to have improved
modulus and yield strength but reduced ductility and ultimate strength. The strain hardening characteristics of the composite were
also found to be different to those of the
alloy. Deformation asymmetry was observed
which could not be entirely attributed to the
Bauschinger effect.
Microstructural studies of aluminium-silicon
alloy reinforced with alumina fibres
Yang, M. and Scott, V.D. Journal o f Materials Science Vol26 No 8 (1991) pp 2245-2254
An AI-7 wt% Si alloy has been reinforced
with alumina fibres and the resulting composite has been extensively characterized. The
eutectic structure of the alloy was significantly affected by the fibres, with a reduction
of the aluminium grain size and increase in
the size of the silicon particles. FeSiAI 5 and
FeSiAI4 intermetallics were found with both
monoclinic and tetragonal structures existing
in equilibrium and showing an epitaxial relationship. Fine silicon precipitates had a cubecube relationship with the aluminium lattice,
while coarser particles showed no such relationship. Dislocations were observed in the
matrix associated with the differential shrinkage between the fibres and the matrix,
however, no sign of dislocation hardening
was detected. A small amount of magnesium
was added to the matrix to improve wettability and this was found to segregate to the
fibre/matrix interface where it is believed to
have promoted strong physical bonding.
Modelling of transverse mechanical behaviour
of continuous fibre reinforced metal-matrix
composites
Lee, Y.S., Gungor, M.N. and Liaw, P.K.
Journal o f Composite Materials Vol 25 No 5
(1991) pp 536-555
Transverse mechanical behaviour of a
metal-matrix composite was modelled by using
a monofibre composite with complete bonding
at the interface and no end effects which was
elastic at room temperature and followed
steady-state creep at elevated temperatures.
The model quantitatively predicted stress,
strain, displacement, void formation and
debonding. Most properties were found to vary
with fibre diameter. Some qualitative evidence
for the model was supplied using a 20% SiC
whisker-reinforced2124 aluminium alloy.
Processing and creep eharacterisation of a
model metal matrix composite: lead reinforced with nickel fibres
Dragone, T.L., Schlautmann, J.J. and Nix,

W.D. Metallurgical Transactions A Vol 22A

No 5 (1991) pp 1029-1036
Model metal-matrix composites were manufactured by foil laminating and press bonding
magnetically aligned short nickel fibres in a
lead matrix. The composite microstructure
was investigated by optical microscopy.
Elastic moduli and thermal expansion coefficients were measured and compared with
rule-of-mixtures models. Tensile creep
behaviour was examined between 150 and
250C and the stress exponent and activation
energy for steady-state creep were calculated. Continuum mechanics modelling gave
only qualitative agreement for steady-state
creep. Failure was by debonding at the interface and by void formation in the matrix.
The role of interlayers in diffusion bonded
joints in metal-matrix composites
Partridge, P.G. and Dunford, D.V. Journal
o f Materials Science Vol 26 No 8 (1991)
pp 2255-2258
Diffusion bonding by vacuum hot pressing
has been used to join two sheets of AI-Li
8090 alloy reinforced with 17 vol% SiC. The
insertion of a matrix interlayer, in the form of
100 tam foils, changes the type and area
fraction of interfaces present after bonding.
Particle/particle interfaces become particle/
matrix interfaces and the area fraction of
particle/matrix interfaces may rise, fall or
become zero. Discussion is given of the
implication of these results for the mechanical properties of diffusion bonded metalmatrix composites.

RESIN MA TRICES
Effect of fibre surface treatment on the
yielding and fracture behaviour of glass fibrepolypropylene composite
Di Liello, V., Matuscelli, E., Ragosta, G.
and Zihlif, A. Journal o f Materials Science
Vo126 No 8 (1991) pp 2100-2106
A polypropylene matrix has been reinforced
with glass fibres with or without an aluminium coating. Mechanical properties have
then been measured over a range of filler
contents and temperatures. The tensile yield
stress is dependent on the temperature, strain
rate and fibre content. As fibre content
increases the yield stress decreases for the
coated fibres, but increases for the uncoated
fibres. The elastic modulus and fracture
toughness increase with fibre content in both
cases, but more slowly for the coated fibres.
Optical and SEM observations are used to
explain these effects:

lnterfacial shear stress distribution in model

composites, Part 1: a Kevlar 49 fibre in an
epoxy matrix
Jahankhani, H. and Galiotis, C. Journal of
Composite Materials Vol 25 No 5 (1991)
pp 609-631
Laser Raman spectroscopy was used to
measure interfacial shear stress on individual
fibres in a composite. A laser Raman microprobe was used to measure the strain in
Kevlar fibres in dogboned tensile specimens
at various load levels. The technique was
compared with other techniques used to
measure interfacial shear stress.
Matrix effects on lifetime statistics for carbon
fibre-epoxy microcomposites in creep rupture
Otani, H., Phoenix, S.L. and Petrina, P.
Journal of Materials Science Vol 26 No 7
(1991) pp 1955-1970
Microcomposites have been fabricated from
seven carbon fibres in an epoxy matrix and
the strength and lifetime in creep rupture
have been measured. In testing careful attention has been paid to damping, specimen
alignment, shock isolation and accurate short
lifetime measurement, to eliminate problems
encountered in previous work. The results
are compared with those of the theoretical
model presented, based on a Weibull
strength distribution for the fibres and micromechanical stress redistribution around fibre
breaks where the matrix creeps in shear
following a power law. The results fitted the
model and are also compared with those of
earlier work on a different epoxy system. A
fractography study is also presented to
support the other results.
The study of model polydiacetylene/epoxy
composites Part !11. The effect of volume
fraction
Robinson, I.M., Galiotis, C., Batchelder,
D.N. and Young, R.J. Journal o f Materials
Science Vo126 No 9 (1991) pp 2293-2299
A combination of mechanical testing and
Raman spectroscopy is used to investigate a
selection of polydiacetylene fibre/epoxy composite specimens with varying volume fractions cured at either room temperature for
one week or at 100C for 24h. Raman spectroscopy is used to measure shrinkage stress
induced by curing. These thermal stresses
were found to cause twinning in the high
temperature cured composites which led to a
change in the mechanical properties of the
bulk composite. A modification to the discontinuous fibre reinforcement theory is presented which allows for the effect of thermal
stresses. The latter were also found to
produce small cracks at the ends of fibres.

COMPOSITES. NOVEMBER 1991

475