INFLUENCE OF LOADING RATE ON ENERGY ABSORPTION PERFORMANCE OF EPOXY COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH GLASS FABRIC

The article deals with the problem of investigating the correlations between the loading rate and absorbed energy capability dependence of composite energy absorbing structures. Energy absorbing structures dissipate impact kinetic energy by means of crushing their structure. Numerous investigations have been conducted to evaluate the dependence between the loading velocity and Energy Absorbed (EA) for composites, however, the results are quite different and sometimes inconsistent. The material properties defined during static tests are possible to be applied at the initial stage of numerical calculations. More advanced and accurate target simulations require data from dynamic load tests. Single energy absorbing elements and three-element energy absorbing structures were subjected to static and dynamic investigations. The single energy absorbing elements were tube-shaped and built of epoxy composites reinforced with glass fabric. Fragments of sandwich energy absorbing composite elements were prepared from three tube elements arranged symmetrically on an equilateral triangle plan and stuck between composite plates. Static and dynamic energy absorbing tests were conducted. The specimens were loaded statically on a tension machine - Instron 8802. The specimens were compressed at a constant load velocity equal to 40 mm/min (0.0007 m/s). The dynamic tests were performed on a spring impact hammer. The impact load velocity was about 6.0 m/s. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the load velocity of a glass/epoxy composite specimen crush leads to an EA decrease. B The behaviour of both single energy absorbing elements and multi- element fragments of energy absorbing constructions was compared.