Blast loaded thin composite plates - An experimental study

In recent times, E-Glass and Carbon fiber based composites have found extensive use in naval structures and there are various studies in literature, which intend to characterize these materials under different quasi-static and ballistic loadings. But, often these materials are subjected to blast loadings occurring from warheads and torpedoes during service or regular war exercises. In this study, thin plates of composite materials were subjected to dynamic loading under shock blast and explosive blast conditions. The plates were held in special fixtures, which ensured fixed-free boundary conditions. The plates were held in the top and bottom and were free along the sides. The deflections incurred in these plates were recorded real time using a high-speed camera and were analyzed for velocity and acceleration of the plate during the deflection. The damage initiation and progression in the plates were observed real time. Typical velocity of Carbon Fiber based composite was 80 m/s and deflection was 16 mm when subjected to explosive blast loads. These data were utilized for comparing the relative performance of the two different composite materials while subjected to identical load intensity and form