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Uniaxial tension of Kevlar-filled EPDM rubber sheet: effect of fiber orientation and distribution

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Abstract

Uniaxial tension tests were performed on the Kevlar-filled EPDM rubber sheet. The short Kevlar fibers are found to align approximately in a single direction. Tensile specimens are thus cut along two different directions, one along the fiber alignment direction (designated as the H specimens) and the other perpendicular to the general fiber direction (the V specimens). The non-contact, optical technique of digital image correlation (DIC) is used to map out the displacement field over the sample surface and the stretches in the loading and the lateral directions are determined from the local displacement measurement. We find that the mechanical response of the Kevlar-filled EPDM rubber sheet along the Kevlar fiber direction is markedly different from that perpendicular to the fiber direction. The Kevlar-filled EPDM rubber sheet has a much higher tensile strength in the Kevlar fiber direction but with less ductility, while the tensile strength is lower in the direction perpendicular to the Kevlar fiber but the ductility is much larger. Failure mechanisms are proposed based on the observation of features of the teared surfaces, and the mechanical parameters that may be related to the mechanical failure are speculated on as well. A non-uniform deformation field develops within the gage section of the specimen and the pattern of the non-uniform deformation is found to correlate with the Kevlar fiber orientation and distribution. In addition, tensile specimens subject to cyclic loadings are tested in the two fiber orientations and the so-called Mullins effect is observed and recorded.

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Acknowledgements

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of U.S. Department of Energy (Contract No. 89233218CNA000001). This study was supported by the Joint DoD/DOE Munitions Program (JMP).

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  1. Materials Science and Technology Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    C. Liu

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Liu, C. Uniaxial tension of Kevlar-filled EPDM rubber sheet: effect of fiber orientation and distribution. Mech Time-Depend Mater 26, 683–697 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11043-021-09507-y

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