The high strain rate properties of glass/epoxy composites under compressive loading.

Fibre-reinforced composites (FRPs) are strong, light, and resistant to corrosion. However, they are complex, anisotropic materials: They can deform and degrade via a variety of damage and failure modes, and their performance can be affected by macro-, meso- and micro-structural properties such as fibre architecture – as well as by specimen geometry, loading configuration and environmental conditions. Wider use of FRPs is limited by the need for accurate and reliable predictive modelling, which in turn relies on good experimental data. However, their inherent complexity and structure means they are not necessarily suited to the usual suite of high-rate 'materials characterization' tests, as the concept of a wholly bulk-representative specimen may not be applicable. Indeed, we should arguably consider FRPs as structures, rather than materials in the traditional sense. To explore this issue, this paper considers the effects of specimen geometry, fibre weave, ageing and strain rate on mechanical response to compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]