High speed imaging in dynamic tensile testing of fabric-cement composites

Abstract

Dynamic tensile tests were conducted using a high speed servo-hydraulic testing machine on three types of fabric reinforced cement composites. A good correlation was found between the properties of the fabrics and the composites in high speed tensile tests. The carbon composite exhibits the highest strength, followed by the AR-glass composite and then PE composite in high speed tensile tests. The cracking evolution and patterns of the composites were recorded by a high speed digital camera at a sampling rate of 10000 fps. Images showed that multiple cracking behavior was predominant for the carbon and glass fabric-cement composites, indicating good stress transfer within these systems. However, for the carbon, only the filaments at the bundle perimeter were bonded to the cement matrix as the inner filaments completely pulled out during loading. No multiple cracking was observed with PE fabric-cement composite as a single major crack was detected. This major crack opened and widened until the fabric was completely broken. ©2010 Society for Experimental Mechanics Inc.