SEDL / STP / STP972-EB / STP26150S

Strength of Woven-Fabric Composites with Drilled and Molded Holes

Yau, S-S
Professor, University of Delaware, Newark, DE

Chou, T-W
Materials engineer, Research Center, Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, OK

Pages: 15    Published: Jan 1988

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Abstract

Two woven-fabric reinforced composite systems, one with PEEK matrix and the other with epoxy matrix, have been studied for their open-hole tensile and compressive strengths. The feasibility of enhancing open-hole strength of these composites through the design of micro-structure (molded hole) has been evaluated. Specimens containing molded holes had higher failure strength than those with drilled holes. The results also indicated that PEEK composite performed better than epoxy in preventing the degradation of both tensile and compressive strengths caused by a small circular hole. From the relative performance (normalized strength) viewpoint, PEEK composites with small holes exhibited higher tensile and compressive strengths than epoxy composites. However, for epoxy composites with molded holes, both normalized tensile and compressive strengths increased with hole size.