Look at F1 cockpits and the testing they're put through for an example.

But I guess it depends how it's applied to the specific case. Plenty must have been written about this though.

https://spokesmanbicycles.com/page.cfm?PageID=332

Since carbon-fiber structures are not very fault tolerant (unlike metal structures), the design and execution plays an even more important role. And sometimes the fault is not in the design or execution of the structure - the fault may be a big rock coming in contact with the downtube. While the tube might not fail from such a large impact, the repercussions are usually hidden on the inside of the laminate, or within the laminate. Microcracks can then spread through the matrix, decreasing the ability of the fiber to transfer load. Metal tends to do a bit better in these situations - but you can make metal frames that break without warning, too...

Now for the bad news: carbon's weak link is elongation. Elongation is your safety net, but with carbon it's low, low, low. Depending on lay-up, it's possible to get some elongation out of carbon. For example, there is a scissoring of layers in the 45-degree plies, but in general we're dealing with a material that doesn't have an overabundance of ductility. Composite designs are not meant to permanently bend. And when they fail, they fail all at once, so designers build in a big safety net. This is similar to what the aluminum designers do, in order to overcome the low elongation of that material.Most manufacturers are very secretive about their lay-ups, so getting good info isn't always easy. Reading through the Trek technical manual yields numbers for the specific modulus of that company's lay-up, which measures the modulus divided by the density. Backing these numbers out yields an 8 MSI modulus for the Trek OCLV lay-up.

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...9213430AAK6xzA

Carbon's weakness is damage.....you can scratch them up, but if you get any strong impacts or deep gouges, the frame is basically toast. (You can have some cracks/damage repaired, but it's very expensive and not usually worth doing it.)

Several years ago, Trek did a warranty replacement for me on an aluminum Fuel 95 frame that cracked. Since they didn't have that frame anymore and refused to downgrade me to a cheaper frame, or upgrade me to the newer Fuel EX.....and this is odd.....they gave me a beautiful Top Fuel carbon fiber frame with a special finish. They didn't ask me or run it through the shop first....they just sent it.

It was a beauty, and nimble and lightweight.....but on the third ride I laid the bike over in a rocky turn and put a big gouge with running cracks in the top tube. Trash. And, of course, with carbon fiber there basically is no warranty for damage.

It actually takes quite a bit to fatally damage a carbon frame, but when you do, you'll find yourself shopping for a new frame. I think aluminum is the way to go for most mountain bikes.