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In the steady quest for lightweighting solutions, continuous carbon fiber composites are becoming more approachable for design, now not only used in the aerospace but also the automotive industries. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) are now being integrated into car body structures, used for their high stiffness and strength and low weight. The material properties of continuous carbon fiber composites are much more complex than metal, especially with respect to failure; this is further complicated by the fact that a single part is typically made from stacks of several unidirectional plies, each with a different fiber orientation. Hence failure occurs because of various mechanisms taking place at the ply level (matrix cracking, fiber breakage, fiber-matrix debonding) or between the plies (delamination). These mechanisms remain not fully understood and are investigated through experimental and virtual testing.

Fibre-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) are composite materials made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are usually fibreglass, carbon or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester or polyester thermosetting plastic. FRP are commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, marine, and construction industries. Especially in the automotive industry, the replacement of metal parts with substitutes made from FRP plays a major role. Applications include parts in direct contact to the engine like oil pans, intake manifolds and cylinder head-covers. It is also used in fixings of covering parts like the dashboard in the interior, bumpers and fenders in the exterior. The components manufactured using FRP materials usually undergo injection molding process where the matrix materials are reinforced with different fiber contents to enhance the strength of the material.