CHARACTERIZATION OF ADVANCED COMPOSITES

Abstract: As part of this project-based course taught by Dr. R. Byron Pipes, I manufactured 350 test specimens with individual specifications using HexPly 8852 CF material. Tested each specimen according to diverse testing methods, with compliance to ASTM standards. Post-processed (DIC and MATLAB) and performed FEA simulation (ABAQUS) to characterize each specimen for failure mode and convergence analysis.

Brief Summary

• Autoclave curing of 40 HexPly Laminates according to ASTM specifications
• Extract 350 specimens using tabbing, waterjet and surface grinder
• Engrave notches and holes in 90 specimens for open-hole testing using CNC
• Perform diverse tests to characterize different loading effects in composites
• Extract data using DIC and perform FEA simulation (ABAQUS) for comparison