Tensile and Compressive Notched Strength of PEEK Matrix Composite Laminates

Some quasi-isotropic and orthotropic laminates of the XAS/APC-1 and AS4/APC-2 material systems containing a circular opening or a slanted crack have been tested under tensile and compressive load. It is shown that the ultimate notched strength of these PEEK matrix composite laminates can be predicted quite well using the first-ply-failure fracture criteria. When the characteristic lengths are expressed in a two-parameter form, the pre dicted notched strength has excellent agreement with the experimental data.