Pore Nucleation and Growth in Short Glass Fibre Reinforced Polypropylene

An experimental technique to study debonding, pore nucleation and pore growth in short glass fibre reinforced transparent polymers has been developed. Samples containing a certain number of fibres with a defined orientation have been tested in 0° tension and transverse tension. Basic mechanisms of pore nucleation and growth in single fibre composites are described as a function of the fibre orientation. The same mechanisms have been found to take place in multiple fibres composites. The pore growth has been simulated with a FEM analysis program (ANSYS) for an idealised composite. The rate of growth function of the macroscopic deformation shows a good agreement with the experimental measurements.