Effects of Impact Loading Rate on the Delamination Behavior of Composite Laminates

Abstract

The present study has shown the experimental results for characterization of the mode I delamination fracture of continuous carbon fiber/epoxy multidirectional composites under a wide range of test rates, up to high rate of 11.4 m/s. At the high rates of test ≥1.0 m/s, Equation (4) requiring the values of the actual arm displacement and flexural (axial) modulus was better for deduction of GIC . However the maximum value of GIC so obtained was considerably underestimated and needed a compensation of loss. With increasing the rate up to 1.0x10-1m/s, there was little differences in the delamination fracture behavior, whereas with an increase of the rate beyond 1.0m/s the maximum value of GIC decreased considerably. © 2000 Trans Tech Publications.