Impact Resilience of a Fiberglass Composite Panel

Abstract

Composite materials made of fiberglass are being specified in the structural engineering industry as a replacement for traditional materials due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, ease of constructability, and suitability for harsh environments.Their increasing use has created the need to expand the knowledge base surrounding how they respond to different scenarios and loadings. Limiting damage induced on structural materials by impact from foreign objects is a design limit that has garnered more focus in recent years. That is why the primary objective of this undergraduate research opportunity (UROP) was to gather data through impact testing of fiberglass composite specimens using a drop tower. Specifically, the stiffness of the material and the energy dissipation upon impact were investigated. A limited test program was conducted to quantify force, displacement, and acceleration values for a single 3 in. x 24 in. DURASHIELD panel that was 42 in. long and had a mass of 28 lb.