| Fiber waviness is a common defect in fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Waviness is generally created during the manufacturing process. It negatively affects the material properties of the FRP in most cases, particularly the ultimate compressive strength. Reduction of material properties in the FRP has been reported to be over 80% in certain cases. This is not always the case, however. One case where waviness can actually increase the FRP's strength is bending. This thesis is the result of a study of the effect that fiber waviness can have on the material properties of fiberglass composites. The focus is primarily on the effects on strength, and a structural failure criterion is proposed that will predict the allowable load a sample can support given the geometry and nominal material strengths. |
