Loading Rate Sensitivity of Glass Fiber–Epoxy Composite at Ambient and Sub-ambient Temperatures

Abstract

Little information regarding the effect of weight fraction of constituent phases of freeze–thaw response in polymer composites at different loading rates and temperatures has been published to date. The present experimental study uses a 3-point flexural test to qualitatively assess such effects for 55, 60, and 65 weight percentages of E-glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites during cryogenic and after thawing conditions. The specimens were tested at a range of 0.5–500 mm/min crosshead speed to evaluate the sensitivity of mechanical response during loading at ambient and sub-ambient temperatures (80°C temperature). These shear strength values are compared with the testing data of as-cured samples. The findings are explainable at a lower range of crosshead speed. The data obtained at higher loading rate suggest further investigation to establish the nature.