A mixed mode specimen for interlaminar fracture testing

Abstract The behavior of a 20-mm thick unidirectional glass-epoxy composite under mixed mode loading is described. This material, whose interlaminar fracture resistance has previously been characterized under pure mode I and pure mode II loadings, has been tested using a new mixed mode bending specimen. Finite element analyses have been used to determine the mode I and mode II contributions to this specimen configuration and to correlate with experimental compliance and fracture energy measurements. Finally, fracture surface features are related to those resulting from pure mode I and pure mode II loading.