Leopold, ChristianChristianLeopoldHarder, SergejSergejHarderBuggisch, ChristinaChristinaBuggischLiebig, WilfriedWilfriedLiebigFiedler, BodoBodoFiedler2020-04-252020-04-252016-06European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM): (2016-06)http://hdl.handle.net/11420/5876The influence of layer thickness on failure initiation and damage propagation as matrix cracks in the 90°-layers of cross-ply laminates is investigated experimentally and simulated by using FEM. Decreasing the 90°-layer thickness leads to a shift of damage initiation to higher loads. The crack density and the shape of inter fibre failure also depend on the layer thickness. With increasing 90°-layer thickness, the total amount of cracks decreases, whereas the amount of cracks running through the layer thickness and through the whole specimen width increases. Cracks exhibit a faster growth rate and larger crack opening with increasing layer thickness. This case is more severe for initiating delaminations. A reduction of ply thickness in cross-ply laminates increases the resistance against inter-fibre-fracture and thus offer great potential for increased fatigue lifetime.enAcoustic emission analysisCross-plyFinite element method (FEM)MicromechanicsPly thicknessConference PaperConference Paper