Effect of Consolidation Pressure on the Transverse Compressive Strength of UHMWPE Composites at High Strain-rates

摘要

UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) composites are commonlyutilized as protective materials against fragments and projectiles. They are composedof UHMWPE fibers and a thermoplastic elastomeric matrix, typically Styrene-Isoprene-Styrene (SIS) or Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). The dynamicmechanical performance of these composites is known to scale with consolidationpressure, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The majority of theexperiments on this material described in the literature are performed at quasi-staticstrain-rates, even though the composite is loaded at ballistic strain-rates (10~5 – 10~6 s~（-1）) when used in protective applications. In this work, Dyneema® HB80 laminatesconsolidated at two different pressures are loaded in uniaxial out-of-planecompression at strain rates of the order of 10~3 s~（-1） in a Kolsky bar. Using high speedoptical imaging, we are able to visualize the dynamic damage evolution in thecomposite as a function of the applied stress.