Fracture toughness of woven textile composites

- A new approach to measuring fracture toughness of woven textile composites and validating such is presented.
- Different approaches provide the same answer.
- Interpreting a known formula when applied to textile composites is clarified.
- The effect of boundary conditions is discussed.

Single edge notched tensile specimens (SENT) are used to measure the fracture toughness of a woven textile composite. Both, the finite element method and available stress intensity factor (SIF) solutions to the SENT are used to calculate the SIF. Linear elastic fracture mechanics, the size effect law and cohesive zone model are used to determine the critical energy release rate. In this note, the importance of using an accurate SIF solution and a proper method to determine the fracture toughness are demonstrated.