Tensile failure of hybrid composites: measuring, predicting and understanding

Fibre-hybrid composites are attracting an ever-increasing interest from academia and industry. It is therefore vital to develop a solid understanding of their basic mechanical properties. Measuring and predicting the tensile failure of hybrid composites however remains a challenging task. This paper describes how failure develops in unidirectional (UD) hybrid composites, and how this can be predicted using fibre break models. It also provides recommendations for experimental measurements of the hybrid effect, which is a synergetic increase of the failure strain of low elongation fibres when hybridised with higher elongation fibres. Finally, limitations of our understanding of the tensile failure of hybrid composites are discussed and recommendations for future research are proposed.