Materials and Structure

Transverse loading of a composite causes matrix stress concentrations between the more rigid fibers, with the maximum stress occurring for q = 90⁰ at a radius ~ 1.2 r .

The photoelastic micrograph shows contours of equal stress value. Crowding of these contours identifies regions with a high stress gradient. The stress distribution is complex and position dependent, it may be multi-axial, and its values depend on the matrix and fiber elastic properties.

From: Hull, "Introduction to Composite Materials," Cambridge (1992)