Low strain rate testing based on drop weight impact tester

Abstract

As the use of fiber composites extends to automotive applications, there is a need to characterize the composite properties at low strain rates, such as below 100/s. In performing such low strain rate tests, the commonly used split Hopkinson’s pressure bar for high strain rate investigations should become inadequate. A high-speed hydraulic testing machine may be suitable for testing at the low strain rates; however, it is not necessarily available to the general engineers because of its high cost. On the basis of a drop weight impact tester, this study presents an affordable testing technique for characterizing a carbon composite at low strain rates. Both compressive and tensile tests are demonstrated in this study.