Abstract
This paper describes experimental and computational characterization of microscopic damage in the vicinity of fiber/matrix interface of polymer matrix composite materials. The evaluation consists of two phases : (1) Three-point bending test was carried out at 0.05mm/min and 1000mm/min in order to clarify the loading rate dependence of fracture behavior. (2) Finite element analysis was also carried out with considering the mesoscopic structure of the materials. Experimental results showed that the microscopic fracture behavior depended on loading rate. In addition, computational results showed that the tendency was the consequence of the rate-dependent properties of the matrix and interface.
