Comprehensive Dataset of Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Pultruded Composites and Their Constituents (Fibers and Matrix)

A comprehensive experimental dataset for unidirectional carbon fiber pultruded composites is presented, including mechanical testing results, microscopy images, and X-ray computed tomography volumes. In contrast to typical datasets, all measurements consistently describe a single material system, encompassing both the composite and its constituents (carbon fibers and vinyl ester matrix), thereby enabling a comprehensive and coherent multiscale material characterization. X-ray-computed tomography images of samples extracted from three pultruded composite profiles were acquired with a voxel size of 0.55 µm and analyzed to determine the fiber orientation distribution. Scanning electron microscopy with a pixel size of 0.098 µm was used to determine the overall and local fiber volume fractions. Compression testing of 17 composite specimens provided the compressive properties. The tensile and shear properties of the matrix were obtained from tensile and shear tests on seven and four matrix specimens, respectively. The Ramberg-Osgood model was fitted to the matrix’s tensile stress–strain response. Single-fiber tensile testing was conducted on 255 carbon fibers with three gauge lengths to determine fiber properties and Weibull parameters. All mechanical tests were performed up to material failure. The dataset is suitable for semi-analytical predictions and numerical finite-element modeling of composite mechanical behavior.