International Journal of Lightweight Materials and Manufacture (Sep 2021)

Effects of water saturation and low temperature coupling on the mechanical behavior of carbon and E-Glass epoxy laminates

  • James LeBlanc,
  • Paul Cavallaro,
  • Jahn Torres,
  • David Ponte,
  • Eric Warner,
  • Irine Chenwi,
  • Arun Shukla

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 3
pp. 358 – 369

Abstract

Read online

An experimentally based study has been conducted to quantify the effects of coupled water saturation and low temperatures on the quasi-static and dynamic mechanical behavior of E-Glass and Carbon Epoxy laminates. The relative performance of the materials as a function of water saturation and decreasing temperature was characterized through detailed experiments, specifically in-plane (tensile/compressive) and shear material properties, static and dynamic Mode-I fracture, and impact/flexure after impact strength. In the investigation temperatures from Room Temperature (20 °C) down to arctic seawater and extreme ocean depth conditions (−2 °C) were evaluated. The materials utilized in the study, Carbon/Epoxy and E-glass/Epoxy, are chosen due to their primary interest to the underwater vehicle and marine industry communities. The results of the quasi-static and dynamic material experiments show that all properties are affected by both water saturation and decreasing temperature, although the trends are specific to the property under consideration.

Keywords