Effects of Impactor Size on Impact Damage-Growth and Residual Properties in an SMC-R50 Composite

Abstract

An experimental investigation was carried out to study effects of impactor size on the damage-growth and the degree of damage in SMC-R50 composite plates. Plane- ended cylindrical steel impactors of 9.7 mm in diameter were chosen to inflict impact damage in the impact energy range from 15 to 52 N-m using a gas gun facility. The im pact velocity range was adjusted for each impactor corresponding to their sizes (25.4, 38.1 and 50.8 mm long) such that the impact energy levels can be maintained constant. The damage-zone size as well as the tensile strength and stiffness are found to be strongly dependent on the impactor size. Impact energy is found not to be a governing parameter for damage-growth and degree of damage that can take into account the im pactor size.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Sierakowski, R.L. and Chaturvedi , S.K. , "Impact Loading in Filamentary Structural Composites," The Shock and Vibration Digest, Vol. 15, No. 10, pp. 13-31 (1983).

Sun, C.T. , Sankar, B.V. and Tan, S.M. , "Dynamic Response of SMC to Impact of a Steel Ball," Advances in Aerospace Structures and Materials, Vol. AD-01, Ed. by S. S. Wang and W. J. Renton , Washington, D.C., The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1981).

Myers, F.A. , "Impact Behavior of SMC Composites," Paper No. 1-D presented at 37th Annual Conference, SPI, Washington, D.C. (January 11-15, 1982).

Chaturvedi, S.K. and Sierakowski, R.L. , "Residual Strength of Impacted SMC Composites ," Recent Advances in Engineering Mechanics and Their Impact on Civil Engineering Practice," (Proc. of the Fourth Engineering Mechanics Division Specialty Conference, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, May 23-25, 1983) Editors: W. F. Chen and A. D. M. Lewis , American Society of Civil Engineers , New York, Vol. 1, pp. 495-498 (1983).

Chaturvedi, S.K. and Sierakowski , R.L. , "Residual Strength Assessment of SMC Composites Subject to Dynamic Impact," Composite Structures, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 137-162 (1983).

Khetan, Raghunath P. and Chang, David C. , "Surface Damage of Sheet Molding Compound Panels Subject to a Point Impact Loading," J. Composite Mats. , Vol. 17, pp. 182-194 (1983).

Gu, Z.L. and Sun, C.T. , "Characterization of Impact Damage in an SMC-R50 Composite," Advances in Aerospace Structures, Materials and Dynamics, Vol. AD-06, Ed. by U. Yuceoglu and R. L. Sierakowski , Washington, D.C., The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1983).

Denton, D.L. , "The Mechanical Properties of an SMC-R50 Composite," Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, p. 8 (1979).

Takeda, N. , Sierakowski, R.L. and Malvern, L.E. , "Studies of Impacted Glass Fiber Reinforced Composite Laminates," SAMPE Quarterly, Vol. 12, pp. 15-22 (1981).

10.

Chaturvedi, S.K. , Sun, C.T. , and Sierakowski , R.L. , "Mechanical Characterization of Sheet Molding Compound Composites," Polymer Composites , Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 167-171 (1983).