Abstract
This study investigates the effect of fiber content on the fracture behavior of thermoplastic composites (glass fiber/polypropylene). The fiber contents used were 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight. Fracture tests were performed using compact tension (CT) specimens made of composite sheets of three fiber contents (20%, 30%, 40%). The results showed that compliance, fracture load, and fracture toughness were affected by the fiber content. The compliance decreased with fiber content while the fracture load increased as the fiber content increased. The fracture toughness also increased as fiber content increased. Specifically, the fracture toughness increased 14% as the fiber content increased from 20% to 40%.
