MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF 8HS S-2 GLASS/SC15 COMPOSITES FOR MAT162 APPLICATIONS

Abstract

MAT162 is a composite material model, which has been used for simulating ratedependent progressive damage behavior of composite materials under high velocity impact applications such as ballistic penetration and perforation. A limited number of material systems, e.g., (i) unidirectional (UD) S-2 Glass/SC15, (ii) plain weave (PW) S-2 Glass/SC15, (iii) PW S-2 Glass/Phenolic, and (iv) PW E-Glass/Phenolic composites have been characterized for MAT162 material properties and modeling parameters in the literature. This material model needs 37 material properties and parameters to present rate-dependent progressive damage occurred in structure. For this purpose, a series of mechanical characterization tests and model validating experiments and computational simulations need to be performed. In this study, 8HS weave S-2 glass fabric reinforced with SC15 epoxy matrix composites has been characterized for MAT162 applications. Composite laminates of various thickness have been manufactured by hand lay-up method, cured at room temperature (RT) under vacuum and post-cured in an oven under vacuum. In-plane tension, quasistatic punch shear test (QS-PST), quasi-static punch crush test (QS-PCT), three-point bending, short beam shear and model validating low velocity impact (LVI) experiments were performed to determine the material properties and modeling parameters of 8HS S-2 glass/SC15 composites. Experimental damage modes and mechanisms have been quantified and used as input in validating the LS-DYNA computational models.