Brittle matrix composites, experimental results

The problem of the orientation of fibres in cement matrices was considered first by Morton (1979) where it was shown that the work of a fracture may be considerably increased when fibres are not aligned with the direction of the principal tensile strain. These results have been based on previously published experimental works by Hing and Groves (1972), Harris et al. (1972) and Morton and Groves (1974). They have shown that the work of fracture, calculated as the amount of work of external load absorbed by the element, is the most important magnitude to be considered in the design of brittle matrix composites. This approach was developed in a proposal of formulae for energy calculation (Brandt 1982, 1984), and later in the solution of a... 

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