Composites
also show an advantage in crack growth rate and critical crack size.
To detect flaws
in a structural component they must be large enough to see or find using ultrasound
or other inspection methods. Flaws of a similar size can be found
in metals and composites.
The inspection safety margin depends on how fast cracks grow.
Once a crack reaches a critical size rapid fracture occurs. The cycle margin
between the inspection threshold and fast fracture is better for composites
than metals - a "soft" fatigue behavior.
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