Experimental Characterization of Damage in Random Short Glass Fiber Reinforced Composites

This article presents the results of an experimental program carried out to characterize the mechanical behavior of random short glass fiber reinforced composites. Tensile, compressive, and shear tests are first performed. The results show that the material is characterized by in-plane isotropy and that it exhibits a damageable elastic behavior in tension and a brittle linear elastic behavior in compression. Then, a series of tests are conducted to evaluate the elastic stiff- ness tensor of the damaged material. The experimental results reveal that damage induces anisotropy. The results of the experimental program are used to identify and validate a continuum damage mechanics model that has been developed to predict the material mechanical behavior.