16th International Conference on Composite Structures ICCS 16 A. J. M.

Ferreira (Editor) FEUP, Porto, 2011

STATIC AND FATIGUE CHARACTERIZATION OF BASALT FIBRE REINFORCED COMPOSITES

* * C. Colombo , L. Vergani and M. Burman
Department of Mechanics Politecnico di Milano Via La Masa 1, 20156 Milano, Italy e-mail: laura.vergani@polimi.it

Aeronautical and Vehicles Engineering Department Kungliga Tekniska Hgskolan (KTH) SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Key words: Basalt fiber reinforce, Experimental mechanics, Thermoelastic analysis. Summary. Basalt reinforced composites are recently developed materials: this work aims to mechanically characterize this fiber reinforced composite by experimental static and fatigue tests. Differences are underlined by comparing two kind of matrices, vinyl-ester and epoxy. Experimental tests are monitored also by means of a thermocamera, focusing the attention on the progressive damage undergone by the specimens. ABSTRACT In the present times the use of composite structures is becoming more and more important and their employ can be planned for lightweight but also performing structures. Different types of composite materials have recently been introduced and studied, in different scales from macro to nano composites. Considering the long fiber reinforced composites, together with the more diffused glass and carbon fiber, other kinds of reinforces have been introduced and discussed in literature [1]. In particular, the attention of the present work is focused on basalt reinforce fibers. Basalt is present in nature in black volcanic rock shape: basalt fibers are obtained by a casting of these igneous rocks at around 1400C and a further extrusion in wire shape of 913 m diameter. These mineral amorphous fibers are a valid alternative to crystalline carbon fibers for their lower cost, and to glass fibers for their strength. ). Basalt fibers are good thermal and acoustics insulators, they keep their mechanical properties at high temperatures and are an excellent substitute for asbestos fibers (limit diameter for breathability 3 m [2]). In the present work, basalt fibers are used for a naval application, the manufacture of ship keels. Indeed, together with their favorable ratio strength-weight, as most of the composites, basalt reinforced composites experience moreover a good resistance to impact. Object of the study are specimens made of basalt fiber reinforce, having the following staking sequence: [0/90, 45, 0/90, 45]s

C. Colombo, L. Vergani and M.Burman.

The total percentage of fiber Vf is 50%. The process manufacturing consists of manual lamination. Two kinds of matrices are used in the production of the plates, from which specimens are cut: epoxy and vinyl-ester resins. The aim is to study the static and fatigue behavior of these fibers and the variation of their mechanical characteristics in function of the different kinds of used matrix. Considering the static tests, three types of tests are planned: tensile, compression and delamination tests. During these tests, the ultimate static tensile and compression strength and the elastic modulus are measured. Elongation and strains measurements are collected as well. During the tensile static tests, together with these classical data, thermoelastic data are also collected. A thermocamera is placed at the testing machine to monitor the variation of the surface temperature of the specimens. It is indeed possible to easily find in literature some studies about the application of thermoelasticity to composite specimens, most of all about glass fiber composites [3], but the application of this experimental technique is completely new for these material. By means of the thermoelastic analysis, it is possible to perform a real-time monitoring of the composite damaging. Considering static tests, an initial decrease of the temperature is observed, followed by a minimum and a further increase till the final specimen breakage, when the heat is diffused. Considerations about the applied stress and the correspondent measured temperature are proposed, comparing them with the observations on other composite materials. Considering fatigue tests, the -N plot is evaluated and the slope of the regression line fitting the experimental data is compared with other literature works [1]. During the fatigue tests, thermoelastic data are collected, and an evaluation of the progressive damage is presented from this point of view. An increase in the thermal answer of the composite represents indeed an indication of the variation of the mechanical characteristics and a localized progressive damage. REFERENCES [1] Z. Wu, X. Wang, K. Iwashita, T. Sasaki and Y. Hamaguchi, Tensile fatigue behaviour of FRP and Hybrid FRP sheets, Composites Part B, 1 (2010) 396-402. [2] Italian Ministerial Decree D.M. 16.02.1997 - Criteri per l'omologazione dei prodotti sostitutivi dell'amianto. [3] T.R. Emery and J.M. Dulieu-Barton, Thermoelastic stress analysis of damage mechanisms in composite materials, Composites Part A, in press. doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2009.08.015