SEM in situ laboratory investigations on damage growth in GFRP composite under three-point bending tests

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are widely used in low-weight constructions. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) in situ experiments of damage growth in GFRP composite under three-point bending loads are carried out. By summarizing the experimental results of three groups of samples with different orientation angles of fibers, the dependence of mechanical parameters on the orientation angles of fibers are analyzed. The regression analysis show that the peak strengths, the elastic strengths and the elastic modulus of the composites decease with the orientation angles of fibers almost linearly. Moreover, the damage growth and meso-scale structure changes in GFRP composites during three-point bending loading are analyzed.