A novel damage evaluation of CFRPs under mode-I loading by using multi-instrument structural health monitoring methods

•Mode-I failure modes of UD and TW CFRP laminates are analyzed and compared.•Failure is monitored using by simultaneous usage of AE and IRT techniques.•Four types of micro damage are identified by clustering AE hits.•Fiber and matrix dominant failures are related with distinctive thermal activities.•Hybrid monitoring of failure helped to interpret thermal activities effectively.