STRENGTH AND FAILURE MODES IN NOTCHED PULTRUDED ROD TENSION SPECIMENS.

Failure mode in a notched pultruded rod containing unidirectional E-glass fibers depends on the ratio of gage length L to specimen diameter d at the notch. For a tensile failure, a large L/d ratio is required. At smaller L/d ratios, long pull-out or crushing at the grips occurs. Based on the failure mode observation and tensile strength evaluation, development of a V-notched tension test with large L/d ratio is suggested as a possible replacement for the current ASTM tension test (ASTM Test Method for Tensile Properties of Pultruded Glass Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Rod left bracket D 3916 right bracket ).