Strain Rate Effects in Particulate-Filled Epoxy

In recent years it has been determined that a vast majority of solid materials display mechanical properties that are dependent on the rate of load application. There is the necessity of knowing the effect of load rate on the behavior of composite materials, not only to satisfy scientific endeavors, but also to enable practical engineering applications where designed members are subjected to impacts. A research investigation was conducted to determine the strain rate sensitivity of aluminum oxide particulate- filled epoxy and the effects produced with variations in filler size and content. A split Hopkinson pressure bar was incorporated to observe dynamic material behavior at high strain rate, while quasistatic tests were conducted on an Instron machine. The results revealed that the stress at a particular strain increased with strain rate, with this increase being more pronounced with smaller particle size and larger filler concentration. Some analysis is also included concerning a possible failure mode.