College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Aerospace Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Aerospace Engineering
Date
3-2010
Primary Advisor
Eltahry Elghandour, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
A study was conducted to investigate the effect of heat on composite sandwich plates, fabricated with the vacuum resin infusion process, with center holes of varying diameters. The study involved conventional notched specimens and notched specimens with shear keys, both of which were subjected to monotonic inplane compression loading. Hole diameter was be varied from one to four inches in one inch increments. Loading rate was applied using the Instron machine at one millimeter per minute. The diameter of the shear key around the holes varied from one inch to four inches in one inch increments. The specimens were placed in a fire chamber at temperatures of 120 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit and tested under compression loading. The specimens at 160 degrees Fahrenheit failed at 20 to 60% of the maximum yielding force as compared to the same specimens at 120 degrees. It was also discovered that the smaller the hole in combination with the largest shear key resulted in the strongest and most reliable specimens.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/aerosp/30