Accumulation of damage in GRP laminates

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Abstract
A study has been made of the accumulation of damage in GRP laminates during tensile loading. Changes in dynamic elastic properties resulting from microstructural damage events are related to the acoustic emission patterns recorded during deformation. The effects of laminate construction, loading geometry and exposure to water have also been examined. It is found that the shapes of AE/stress curves show well-defined characteristics that can be related to laminate structure. There is a good correlation for one particular laminate between changes in resonant frequency resulting from tensile loading and the integrated acoustic emission count. On the other hand, as far as ring-down counting is concerned, there is clearly no unique relationship between the integrated count at fracture and such mechanical properties as modulus or failure stress. Neither has it been possible to use damping (peak-width measurements) as a reasonable indicator of accumulated damage.