ISSN: 0884-6804
CODEN: JCTRER
Page Count: 4

Simple Torsion Test for Determining the Shear Moduli of Orthotropic Composites
Theodore Sumsion, H
Ames Research Center, NASA, CA

Rajapakse, YDS
Ames Research Center, NASA, CA

Abstract

The shear properties of a composite must be known for the design and use of the composite material. Although many methods are available for measuring in-plane shear, no simple test technique has been offered for determining out-of-plane shear. We, however, have developed a simple method for determining both in-plane and out-of-plane shear moduli of a homogeneous, orthotropic material. From torsion tests performed on specimens in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped (a prism whose bases are parallelograms) of at least two different cross sections, the effective in-plane (G¹³) and out-of-plane (G²³) moduli (Fig. 1) can be determined. (Please note that fiber direction is three-directional.) Additionally, we have determined these moduli for two different graphite-epoxy composites (AS/3501 and T300/5209), composites that have both uniaxial and cross-ply fiber orientations.

Keywords:

Paper ID: CTR10683J
DOI: 10.1520/CTR10683J
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