Compression tests on CFRP analysed by Digital Image Correlation

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic materials (CFRP) are widely used for aeronautical and aerospace applications since they offer high specific mechanical properties. However, when damaged, their behavior is quite concerning and, if the damages are not visible on the surface their use could become highly dangerous if not properly monitored. Although traditional non-destructive techniques enable a posteriori detection of damage at successive stages of the life of these materials, it seems more difficult to monitor in-situ the evolution of internal damage, especially in opaque materials. In order to obtain more complete information about the damage mechanisms it is necessary to implement advanced strain analysis approach like those based upon full-field measurements. By using these techniques, in fact, it is possible to get information about the strain map all over the surface of the sample. In this paper, in particular, an approach based on the Digital Image Correlation was used and it was applied to analyze the behavior of CFRP specimens subjected to compression load with anti-buckling fixture.