Mechanical Behaviour of Normal Modulus Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Epoxy under Impact Tensile Loads

This paper is concerned with experimental investigations of the mechanical properties of unidirectional normal modulus carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheet and Araldite 420 epoxy under quasi-static and medium impact tensile loads. It is found that both the CFRP sheet and Araldite resin were strain rate dependent. For CFRP the increase in tensile stress is about 20 to 40% whereas the increase in modulus of elasticity and strain at failure is about 20%. For Araldite the increase in tensile stress and modulus of elasticity is about 220% and 100% respectively, whereas a 50% reduction in strain at failure was observed. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ICM11