Impact Fracture Study of Laminated Composite Using Single Edge Notched Bend Specimens

Abstract

The results of an investigation of impact fracture in laminated composite material are presented in this paper. Low velocity impact fracture tests were carried out on single edge notched three-point bending (SENB) specimens using a drop-weight rig. An inclined notch was introduced in the SENB specimen in order to generate mixed-mode I/II crack loading conditions. Different mixed-mode ratios were obtained by varying the notch inclination from 10° to 90° with a step of 10°. The SENB specimens were subjected to various impact potential energies by varying the drop-height in order to determine the critical impact potential energy at which the crack growth initiates from the initial notch tip position for each of the considered notch inclinations. The mechanical response of the SENB specimen to impact loading was analyzed using a two-dimensional linear-elastic finite element model. Good agreement was obtained between the predicted contact force – time curve and the measured one at various impact potential energy levels and notch inclinations. The strain energy release rate mode components were computed by the virtual crack closure technique. The composite fracture toughness under impact loading was characterized in terms of the critical dynamic strain energy release rate at the onset of crack growth. It was found that the fracture toughness under impact loading increases with decreasing the notch inclination. This finding was attributed to the increase of mode II component of crack loading. A comparison of the fracture behaviour under impact and static loading was performed. It was found that the fracture toughness under impact loading was between 19% and 23% lower than the static one for the different notch inclinations. Therefore, it was concluded that static fracture toughness should not be used in the fracture mechanics based design of composite structures which are subjected to impact loading during their lifetime.