The compressive and tensile behavior of a 0/90 C fiber woven composite at high strain rates Original Research Article

An investigation into the compressive and tensile behavior of a carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composite at high strain rates is carried out using a split Hopkinson bar. All the dynamic tests are performed under the condition of stress equilibrium and constant strain rate. The results of the compressive tests show that the failure strength and strain of the composite increase with the increase of strain rate. A plateau is observed in a typical stress–strain curve which prompts further study into the failure mechanism by monitoring the failure process with a high-speed camera. The three-phase failure mechanism of on-impact compression, crack-induced unloading, and crack deviation-caused further condensation, is found to have greatly increased the strength and toughness of the composite. In the tensile tests, an increase of strain rate produces a reduced fracture angle and extended crack path. In this process, more failure energy is absorbed, thus the failure strength and strain of the composite are improved. The Cowper–Symonds model of strain rate dependency indicates that the material has a higher tensile strength than compressive strength, and the strain rate sensitivity is more noticeable at high stain rates than quasi-static conditions.