| Abstract: | The mechanical properties of random continuous glass mat reinforced composites, as determined by standard tensile tests, are known to have a very large scatter. To understand this scatter, new test procedures were developed to map the local tensile elastic moduli in a large plaque at 12.7-mm (½-in) intervals. Surprisingly, the tensile modulus in these materials can vary by a factor of two over the 12.7-mm distance. The elastic modulus is shown to vary by a factor of three in a 150 × 305-mm (6 × 12 in) plaque. Expressions have been obtained for the average moduli measured by tensile and bend tests. These expressions have been used to compare measured flexural moduli with values predicted by using measured tensile moduli. |
