Dynamic damage in carbon-fibre composites

Abstract

The Taylor test is used to determine damage evolution in carbon-fibre composites across a range of strain rates. The hierarchy of damage across the scales is key in determining the suite of operating mechanisms and high-speed diagnostics are used to determine states during dynamic loading. Experiments record the test response as a function of the orientation of the cylinder cut from the engineered multi-ply composite with high-speed photography and post-mortem target examination. The ensuing damage occurs during the shock compression phase but three other tensile loading modes operate during the test and these are explored. Experiment has shown that ply orientations respond to two components of release; longitudinal and radial as well as the hoop stresses generated in inelastic flow at the impact surface. The test is a discriminant not only of damage thresholds but of local failure modes and their kinetics.

Measuring the Effect of Strain Rate on Deformation and Damage in Fibre-Reinforced Composites: A Review

“…There have been very few studies of the Taylor impact of rods made from fibre-reinforced composites. The following are the only published papers we know of: [23][24][25][26]. Bourne and co-workers machined 7.6 mm diameter Taylor impact cylinders from a multilayer carbon fibre reinforced toughened epoxy [24].…”

“…The following are the only published papers we know of: [23][24][25][26]. Bourne and co-workers machined 7.6 mm diameter Taylor impact cylinders from a multilayer carbon fibre reinforced toughened epoxy [24]. Specimens were machined out of the panel with three different orientations of their axes with respect to the plane of the panel: 0˚, 45˚ and through-thickness.…”

“…The 'modern' tensile SHPB arrangement was likely first deployed to test composites in the 1990s. In that decade, one early study was of glass/epoxy composites, using epoxy to fix a specimen with a central section waisted in [24] both perpendicular directions [53]. Their specimen was 'unidirectionally arranged' in the test section, while 'orthogonally arranged' at both ends.…”