Variable stiffness composites present a promising solution for mitigating impact loads via varying the fiber volume fraction layer-wise,thereby adjusting the panel's stiffness.Since each layer of the composite may...Variable stiffness composites present a promising solution for mitigating impact loads via varying the fiber volume fraction layer-wise,thereby adjusting the panel's stiffness.Since each layer of the composite may be affected by a different failure mode,the optimal fiber volume fraction to suppress damage initiation and evolution is different across the layers.This research examines how re-allocating the fibers layer-wise enhances the composites'impact resistance.In this study,constant stiffness panels with the same fiber volume fraction throughout the layers are compared to variable stiffness ones by varying volume fraction layer-wise.A method is established that utilizes numerical analysis coupled with optimization techniques to determine the optimal fiber volume fraction in both scenarios.Three different reinforcement fibers(Kevlar,carbon,and glass)embedded in epoxy resin were studied.Panels were manufactured and tested under various loading conditions to validate results.Kevlar reinforcement revealed the highest tensile toughness,followed by carbon and then glass fibers.Varying reinforcement volume fraction significantly influences failure modes.Higher fractions lead to matrix cracking and debonding,while lower fractions result in more fiber breakage.The optimal volume fraction for maximizing fiber breakage energy is around 45%,whereas it is about 90%for matrix cracking and debonding.A drop tower test was used to examine the composite structure's behavior under lowvelocity impact,confirming the superiority of Kevlar-reinforced composites with variable stiffness.Conversely,glass-reinforced composites with constant stiffness revealed the lowest performance with the highest deflection.Across all reinforcement materials,the variable stiffness structure consistently outperformed its constant stiffness counterpart.展开更多
基金funded by the American University of Sharjah.United Arab Emirates award number EN 9502-FRG19-M-E75。
文摘Variable stiffness composites present a promising solution for mitigating impact loads via varying the fiber volume fraction layer-wise,thereby adjusting the panel's stiffness.Since each layer of the composite may be affected by a different failure mode,the optimal fiber volume fraction to suppress damage initiation and evolution is different across the layers.This research examines how re-allocating the fibers layer-wise enhances the composites'impact resistance.In this study,constant stiffness panels with the same fiber volume fraction throughout the layers are compared to variable stiffness ones by varying volume fraction layer-wise.A method is established that utilizes numerical analysis coupled with optimization techniques to determine the optimal fiber volume fraction in both scenarios.Three different reinforcement fibers(Kevlar,carbon,and glass)embedded in epoxy resin were studied.Panels were manufactured and tested under various loading conditions to validate results.Kevlar reinforcement revealed the highest tensile toughness,followed by carbon and then glass fibers.Varying reinforcement volume fraction significantly influences failure modes.Higher fractions lead to matrix cracking and debonding,while lower fractions result in more fiber breakage.The optimal volume fraction for maximizing fiber breakage energy is around 45%,whereas it is about 90%for matrix cracking and debonding.A drop tower test was used to examine the composite structure's behavior under lowvelocity impact,confirming the superiority of Kevlar-reinforced composites with variable stiffness.Conversely,glass-reinforced composites with constant stiffness revealed the lowest performance with the highest deflection.Across all reinforcement materials,the variable stiffness structure consistently outperformed its constant stiffness counterpart.
