0000000000707975
AUTHOR
Erik L. G. Wernersson
Swelling of cellulose fibres in composite materials: Constraint effects of the surrounding matrix
Swelling of cellulose fibres in composite materials : Constraint effects of the surrounding matrix
Effects of defects on the tensile strength of short-fibre composite materials
Abstract. Heterogeneous materials tend to fail at the weakest cross-section, where the presence of microstructural heterogeneities or defects controls the tensile strength. Short-fibre composites are an example of heterogeneous materials, where unwanted fibre agglomerates are likely to initiate tensile failure. In this study, the dimensions and orientation of fibre agglomerates have been analysed from three-dimensional images obtained by X-ray microtomography. The geometry of the specific agglomerate responsible for failure initiation has been identified and correlated with the strength. At the plane of fracture, a defect in the form of a large fibre agglomerate was almost inevitably found.…