Investigating strain rate effect on transverse compressive strength of fiber composites

This research aims to investigate strain rate effect on transverse compressive strength of unidirectional fiber composites. Both glass/epoxy and graphite/epoxy composites were taken into account in this study. To demonstrate strain rate effect, composite brick specimens were fabricated and tested to failure in the transverse direction at strain rate ranges from 10(-4)/S to 500/s. For strain rate less than 1/s, the experiments were conducted by a hydraulic MTS machine. However, the higher strain rate tests were performed using a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB). Experimental observations reveal that the transverse compressive strengths increase corresponding to the increment of the strain rates. A semi-logarithmic function was employed to describe the rate sensitivity of the transverse compressive strength. SEM photographic on the failure surfaces depicts that for glass/epoxy composites, the failure mechanism is mainly due to the matrix shear failure, however, for the graphite/epoxy composites, it becomes the fiber and epoxy interfacial debonding which could dramatically reduce the transverse compressive strengths of the fiber composites.