Investigating the transverse behavior of Glass–Epoxy composites under intermediate strain rates

In this study, the strain rate effects on transverse tensile and compressive properties of unidirectional Glass fiber reinforced polymeric composites are investigated. To demonstrate strain rate effects, the tensile and compressive composite specimens with identical configuration are fabricated and tested to failure in the transverse direction at quasi-static strain rate of approximately 0.001 s⁻¹ and intermediate strain rates of 1–100 s⁻¹. The tensile and compressive tests are performed using a servo-hydraulic testing apparatus equipped with strain rate increasing mechanisms. For performing the practical tests, a jig and a fixture and other test supplies are designed and manufactured. The performance of the test jig is evaluated and showed that it is adequate for composites testing under tension and compression loads. The effects of strain rate on mechanical properties (maximum strength, modulus, and strain to failure) are considered. The characteristic results for the transverse properties indicate that damage evolution is strain-rate-dependent for the examined material. Also, a strain-rate-dependent empirical material model associated with different regression constants is proposed based on the experimental results obtained to characterize the rate dependent behavior of Glass/Epoxy composite material.     

Response of a high-strength flexible laminate to dynamic tension

The dynamic stress–strain behaviour of the Spectra Shield^® LCR (laminated composite roll) is determined from tests using a tensile split Hopkinson bar, and the experimental results indicate that it is highly strain rate sensitive. The failure strain decreases initially with strain rate up to a critical value, and rises thereafter, while the failure stress increases with strain rate to a similar value of strain rate, after which it decreases. The nature of failure of filaments is observed to change with strain rate, first becoming increasingly brittle and then returning to more ductile modes once the critical strain rate is exceeded. The increase in failure strain and stress are accounted for in terms of strain rate hardening. An explanation of the reduction in failure stress beyond the critical strain rate is proposed with respect to increasing viscoelastic hysteresis and reduction in the time available for filament alignment.     

Effect of hot water immersion on the performance of carbon reinforced unidirectional poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) composites: Stress rupture under end-loaded bending

This paper describes the behaviour of AS4 and T700SC reinforced PEEK composites (SUPreM™ and ACP-2) under applied compressive bending strain. The effect of an increased molecular weight of the polymer matrix on the residual time under endloaded compression bending conditions is studied. Generally for a given composite material, the higher the testing temperature and the applied strain the faster the failure occurs. At test temperatures exceeding the glass transition temperature or at high strain ratios the time-to-failure for CF/PEEK composites follows a master curve. The residual times under endloaded compression bending conditions increase with increasing toughness of the PEEK matrix but decrease with increasing tensile strength of the reinforcing fibres. It seems that the better the fibre/matrix adhesion the lower is the time to failure of an endloaded composite, because more load is transferred from the matrix into the fibres.In order to simulate composite applications under ‘harsh’ conditions the CF/PEEK composites have been exposed to boiling water. PEEK is known to be highly resistant to environmental effects, but water uptake significantly influences the overall performance of CF/PEEK composites under endloaded compression bending conditions. The tensile properties of the composites have been measured as function of exposure time in boiling water. The fibre dominated uniaxial tensile strength is not/or only slightly affected by the boiling water conditioning even after extended exposure times but the transverse tensile strength decreases significantly after exposure to boiling water. The performance of SUPreM™ CF/PEEK-150 and 450 composites under endloaded compression bending conditions are positively affected by water conditioning whereas APC-2 fails at shorter residual times. The fracture behaviour under endloaded conditions is also affected by the ingress of water into the composite.The obtained results show clearly that applications of thermoplastic composites leading to large out of plane deformations can only be ‘safe’ if the maximum service temperatures of the finished part will be well below the glass transition temperature of the polymer matrix otherwise even at low bending radii a dramatic failure of the material cannot be excluded.     

Roll-formability of cryo-rolled ultrafine aluminium sheet

Ultrafine-grain aluminium sheet was produced by rolling at cryogenic (CR) and at room temperature (RTR). Commercial purity aluminium plate was reduced in 30 passes from an initial material thickness of 10 mm to a final thickness of 2 mm (80% reduction). Tensile stress and strength were significantly increased while total elongation was drastically reduced. It was found that despite the low tensile elongation both materials are able to accommodate high localised strains in the neck leading to a high reduction in area. The formability of the material was further investigated in bending operations. A minimum bending radius of 6 mm (CR) and 5 mm (RTR) was found and pure bending tests showed homogeneous forming behaviour for both materials. In V-die bending the cryo-rolled material showed strain localisations across the final radius and kinking of the sample. It has been found that even if the total elongation in tension is close to zero leading to early failure in V-die bending, ultra-fine grained and low ductile sheet metals can be roll formed to simple section shapes with small radii using commercial roll forming equipment.     

Experimental and numerical evaluation of bending and tensile behaviour of carbon-fibre reinforced SiC

The tensile and bending strength of the Liquid Silicon Infiltrated (LSI) ceramic–matrix composite (CMC), C/C–SiC, were investigated in varying orientations relative to the 0°/90° woven carbon fibres. The ratio of bending to tensile strength was about 1.7–2 depending on the loading direction. The non-linear stress–strain behaviour under tensile load and the linear elastic behaviour under compression load were included in the finite element analysis (FEA) of bending behaviour. The bending failure of the CMC-material was modelled by Cohesive Zone Elements (CZE) accounting for the directional tensile strength and Work of Fracture (WOF). The WOF was determined by Single Edge Notched Bending (SENB) tests. Comparable results from FEA and bending test were achieved. It was demonstrated that the failure of C/C–SiC at room temperature may be described by a macroscopic fracture mechanical FE-approach. The presented approach could also be adapted for the design of CMC-components and structures.     

玄武岩纤维增强泡沫混凝土的单轴拉伸及准静态压缩性能

为研究玄武岩纤维增强泡沫混凝土的力学性能,共设计了52组试件,讨论了玄武岩纤维体积掺量和纤维长度对各密度试件的拉伸和压缩性能的影响。结果表明：玄武岩纤维可显著提高试件的抗拉峰值应力(最大提升达到737%)和峰值应变(最大提升达到833%),可有效改善中高密度试件的受拉失效模式,使其出现伪应变硬化现象,提升了试件的抗拉承载能力和变形能力。试件抗拉峰值应力和峰值应变随纤维体积掺量增大而增大,随纤维长度增长先增大后降低;另一方面,玄武岩纤维能改变试件的受压破坏模式,使其从纵向劈裂破坏转变为斜向剪切破坏和横向压溃破坏,显著提高了中低密度试件的抗压承载力和吸能能力(最大提升达到328%)。试件的吸能能力随纤维体积掺量增大而增强,随纤维长度增长先提升后降低。     

Tension behavior of unidirectional glass/epoxy composites under different strain rates

By considering wide applications of composite materials, having a proper knowledge of them under dynamic loading is necessary. In order to study the effects of strain rates on the behavior of the materials, special testing machines are needed. Most of the research in this field is focused on applying real loading and gripping boundary conditions on the testing specimens. In this study, behavior of unidirectional glass fiber reinforced polymeric composites under uni-axial loading is determined at quasi-static and intermediate strain rates of 0.001–100 s⁻¹. The tests were performed using a servo-hydraulic testing apparatus equipped with a strain rate increase mechanism. For performing the tests, a jig and a fixture are designed and manufactured. The performance of the test jig was evaluated and found to be adequate for testing of composites. Dynamic tests results are compared with the results of static tensile tests carried out on specimens with identical geometry. Experimental results show a significant increase of the tensile strength by increasing the strain rate. The tensile modulus and strain to failure are also observed to increase slightly by increasing the strain rate.     

Plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite coating on carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite materials

Plasma-spraying of metallic impiant surfaces is an established method for the application of hydroxylapatite (HA) coatings. Carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics show different thermal and mechanical properties, compared with titanium substrates. In this paper first results of the influence of the established coating method on carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics are presented. First investigations of the tensile adhesion strength, tested with a newly developed testing device, showed that the adhesion between the HA coating and the carbon fibre reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite is very low. Macromechanical bending tests showed a change to initial tensile instead of compression failure of the coated composite substrate. Micromechanical bending tests in a scanning electron microseope (SEM) hot tensile stage (Raith GmbH) revealed crack propagation within the ceramic coating and in the coating-substrate interface before the total failure of the composite substrate occurred.     

Fracture behavior and acoustic emission in bending tests on single-fiber composites

The bending fracture mechanisms and interfacial behavior of single-fiber composites (s.f.c.) with different fiber surface treatments and embedded fiber positions were investigated in three-point bending with simultaneous acoustic emission monitoring. Microfractures occurring at fiber breakages were examined by AE parameters and observations by a polarized microscope. As a result, it was found that AE signals in a bulk resin specimen were almost not detected, while many AE events were monitored in the s.f.c. bending specimens. The number of AE events was in good agreement with the number of fiber breakages, except for specimens with an embedded fiber near the compressive surface. Using AE parameters, especially the peak frequency and its power energy obtained by a power spectrum analysis, failure modes can be identified. A transition of failure mode from fiber break accompanied by a matrix crack and debonding to buckling is observed when the stress in the embedded fiber changes from tension to compression. The debond length is very long near the loading point for the specimens with a fiber near the tensile surface, but it decreases with increasing distance from the loading point. The debond length is small for the specimen with an embedded fiber near the neutral plane since the strain in the fiber decreases. Furthermore, a model for debonding failure is proposed and the maximum interfacial shear stress is derived. It is confirmed that fiber fragment lengths for the specimens with a fiber near the tensile side can be also expressed by the Weibull distribution as done in s.f.c. tensile tests.     

单面贴补修理后层合板的拉伸性能

对含孔损伤复合材料层合板单面贴补后进行拉伸试验研究。测量了层合板的应变分布、修理后层合板中心点的离面位移及拉伸强度等, 考察了补片的厚度、大小等因素对修理效果的影响。结果显示, 增加补片的厚度和直径能够提高母板的承拉能力, 但是增加补片的厚度会导致层合板离面位移增大。对无侧边支持的单面贴补层合板进行计算分析时, 必须考虑偏心载荷引起的弯矩的影响。在此基础上, 采用分层损伤判据建立了三维有限元模型, 对单面贴补层合板的破坏机理和拉伸强度进行了计算和分析。结果表明, 修理后层合板的拉伸破坏是由补片或母板内与胶接面相邻的层间分层引起的; 计算结果与试验结果一致。      

Orientation-dependent compression/tension asymmetry of short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene: Deformation,damage and failure

Short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (sgf-PP) is increasingly employed in structural components which are subjected to a variety of loading conditions including tensile, compressive and bending loading modes. Since typical industrial components exhibit a wide range of fiber orientation distributions, their mechanical response to these loading conditions is also highly anisotropic. In this paper, the compression/tension asymmetry in the stress–strain behavior of sgf-PP is investigated from a macroscopic engineering and a micro-mechanisms of deformation and failure point of view for specimens with varying, precisely defined fiber orientations. Furthermore, we performed volume strain measurements and two-cyclic tests. We used the results to deduce the onset of damage due to cavitational mechanisms under tension and compared this to the onset of deviation of the tensile from the compressive stress–strain behavior. The results showed a good correlation for specimens with high fiber orientation, whereas for specimens with low fiber orientation results deviate due to the high deviatoric matrix volume strain contribution.     

Some factors exerting an influence on the coaxing effect of austenitic stainless steels

The present paper describes some factors exerting an influence on the coaxing effect of austenitic stainless steels. Particularly, the influence of prestrain was investigated in detail. The materials used were austenitic stainless steels, type 304 and 316. Type 304N2 was also used to examine the properties of the stabilized austenitic phase in type 304. Two types of rotating bending fatigue tests, i.e. the conventional constant amplitude tests and stress‐incremental tests, were performed using the specimens subjected to the several tensile‐prestrain levels. Under the constant amplitude tests, the fatigue strengths of type 304 and 316 increased with increasing prestrain. Under the stress‐incremental tests, type 304 showed a remarkable coaxing effect, where the fatigue failure stress significantly increased regardless of the prestrain level. The coaxing effect in the unprestrained specimens was larger than those of the prestrained ones. Type 304N2 showed lower coaxing effect than type 304. In addition, the strain‐induced martensitic transformation did not occur because of the higher stability of austenitic phase in type 304N2. In type 316, the coaxing effect was dependent on the prestrain level, i.e. below 15% prestrain the coaxing effect became smaller with increasing prestrain, whereas above 25% prestrain the coaxing effect reappeared. Based on the tests results, it was considered that the coaxing effect in austenitic stainless steel was due to the mechanisms such as work hardening, strain ageing and strain‐induced martensitic transformation. The contribution of these mechanisms to the coaxing effect was different among type 304, 304N2 and 316.     

Approximate elastic-plastic analysis of the static and impact behaviour of polymer composite sandwich beams

An elastic-plastic beam bending model has been developed to simulate the post-upper skin failure energy absorption behaviour of polymer composite sandwich beams under three-point bending. The beam skins consist of woven and chopped strand glass, while the core is a resin impregnated non-woven polyester material known as Coremat. A polyester resin was used for the construction. The theoretical model consists of a central hinge dominated by a crushing core and tensile elastic strains in the lower skin. Experimental measurements of the non-linear force-deflection characteristics for the beam are compared to the theoretical predictions from the model, and it is shown that the shear crushing of the core has an important effect on the behaviour of the beam. The model shows that the most important material properties are the lower skin tensile failure strain and the core crushing strength. Dynamic effects are included in the model in the form of a strain rate dependence of the core crushing stress and the strain rate dependence of the failure strain in the lower skin. The increase in material strength with strain rate gives rise to an improved energy absorption capacity for the beam under impact loading.     

熔体发泡法泡沫铝的力学性能研究

对采用熔体发泡法制造的不同密度泡沫铝进行了准静态压缩试验、拉伸试验和弯曲试验。结果表明,泡沫铝的压缩特性曲线包括线弹性变形区、平台区和密实化区。试样的高宽比H/D明显影响压缩应力-应变曲线。当H/D较小时,平台应力曲线较平滑;当H/D较大时,平台应力曲线剧烈波动,呈显著的锯齿状。且在试样中间部位出现与加载轴线呈25°—45°的剪切带。拉伸和弯曲过程中,泡沫铝应力快速增加,当达到应力峰值即屈服点后急剧减小,在最终破断失效前,没有明显的屈服变形带。压缩坪应力Rpl、拉伸屈服应力RUTS和冷弯屈服应力Rf随密度的增加而增加。     

Tensile fracture properties of an Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) with steel fiber

This paper presents a study of the tensile fracture properties of Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) considering the effects of the fiber content. To investigate the impact of fiber content, notched 3-point bending tests were executed, where the fiber volume ratio was varied from 0% to 5%. From the bending tests, it was found that the flexural tensile strength of UHPFRC linearly increases with increasing fiber volume ratio and the rule of mixture can be applied to UHPFRC. Furthermore, an inverse analysis was performed to determine the tensile fracture model of UHPFRC and a tri-linear tensile softening model is suggested. The suggested model successfully represents the increase of the stress-constant bridging zone and the decrease of the stress-resisting zone with increasing fiber content. The proposed model for various fiber content levels is simple and versatile and can be readily applied to structural design or numerical analysis of UHPFRC.     

Werkstoffprüfung von Hochleistungskeramik mit Zugproben

Mechanical testing of high-performance ceramics with tensile specimens Mechanical properties of engineering ceramics are often measured in bending. The principal limitations of these tests are discussed for linear-elastic and plastic material behaviour. From this the requirement of tensile tests is derived. For room temperature fatigue tests an optimized concept of gripping round specimens is presented. High temperature tests are performed with flat specimens allowing static and quasistatic experiments with continuous strain measurement up to ca. 1400 °C. For sintered silicon nitride tensile creep curves are reported and compared with results from bending tests.     

Long-term tensile and bending strength of natural building stones

The results of experimental long-term tension and bending tests carried out on four natural stones formely widely used in Italian traditional building (a white-veined Carrara marble, the “pietra Serena” and “Pietraforte” sandstones, and the Piobbico-Cesana limestone) are presented. The tests consisted of applying continually different fractions of the “instantaneous” fracture loads and monitoring the strain evolution of the specimens until a time-delayed fracture was reached. A typical three-stage creep response was obtained in all the tests. At the same time, a 60% reduction in tensile and bending strength was observed in relation to testing periods not much longer than one year. A phenomenological constitutive model is proposed for analytically reproducing the experimental viscoplastic behaviour. Furthermore, a creep time-to-rupture function giving direct estimates of the strength decay effects is provided, with a view to technical applications. The results of the identification analyses carried out to calibrate the characteristic parameters of the above laws are also reported.     

Cavity mediated strain localization and overall ductility in eutectic tin-lead alloy

A combined experimental and numerical study is undertaken to examine the effects of pre-machined holes on strain localization and overall ductility in eutectic tin-lead alloy. Thin-sheet specimens with equal-sized holes aligned in the tensile loading direction are used. The tensile tests were performed at room temperature with a nominal strain rate of 0.001 s⁻¹. The specimen, containing one hole, showed a significant reduction in ductility compared to the control (no-hole) specimen. With an increasing number of holes, however, the overall strain-to-failure increases and fracture tend to follow shear bands generated locally from the hole edges. Finite element analyses, taking into account the viscoplastic response, were carried out to provide a mechanistic rationale to corroborate the experimental findings. The dispersion of plastic deformation and the effect of hole interaction are both found to contribute to the observed behavior. The local maximum equivalent plastic strain decreases with increasing number of holes, resulting in more delayed fracture. Plastic deformation becomes more intense inside the shear band when the holes are spaced more closely, which explains the increasing propensity of fracture along the shear bands in specimens containing more pre-machined holes.     

The effect of pre-strain on the material behaviour and the Bauschinger effect in the bending of hot rolled and aged steel

Compression and bend tests were performed on an annealed and aged carbon steel that had been pre-strained by different amounts. A bending model was developed to analyse the bending response of the material. While the bending test results agreed well with some of the material trends found in previous studies focusing on the Bauschinger effect, an overly high reduction of the bending yield with pre-strain was observed. Calculation of the moment curvature diagram for the pre-strained material based on the tensile and compression test data using the analytical model did not fit the experimental curve. In the control of yield phenomena by the industrial processes of temper rolling, skin passing, tension levelling and roller levelling, the effectiveness of the treatment is usually judged from tensile testing after treatment. However, the present work shows that where the yield phenomena have been removed by pre-processing, that the tensile test will not predict the subsequent bending behaviour and that the bending test may provide greater insight. This may have important consequences in the study of cold roll forming where shape defects in the product are believed to originate from small strain forward and reverse bending deformations that will be strongly affected by the Bauschinger and yield effects.     

形状记忆合金的力学及界面参数和体积分数对大块金属玻璃基复合材料增韧的影响

采用考虑塑性的超弹性材料模型和基于损伤塑性的准脆性材料模型,建立了三维单胞有限元模型,模拟了形状记忆合金颗粒增韧大块金属玻璃基复合材料的单调拉伸行为。讨论了形状记忆合金的力学参数、体积分数、界面厚度和界面材料参数对金属玻璃增韧效果的影响。结果表明:提高形状记忆合金的相变应变和马氏体塑性屈服应力将显著提高形状记忆合金颗粒增韧大块金属玻璃基复合材料的拉伸失效应变;形状记忆合金弹性模量超过50.0GPa、马氏体塑性屈服应力超过1.8GPa后,复合材料的拉伸失效应变变化不大。能同时兼顾失效应变和失效应力的形状记忆合金体积分数为15%左右。复合材料界面弹性模量和界面屈服应力的增加将提高复合材料的失效应力,但对失效应变影响不大;复合材料界面厚度的增加在提高失效应变的同时,也降低了复合材料的失效应力。