Abstract
Impact damage can significantly reduce the strength of composite sandwich panels, giving rise to large factors of safety in design. A self-healing sandwich panel was designed and manufactured. Specimens were tested in edgewise compression-after-impact to prove the concept. The self-healing system consists of vascular networks carrying the two liquid components of an epoxy resin system. After damage and autonomous self-healing, the specimens could be restored to their undamaged strength. Key influences on healing efficiency, and the need for further improvements in reliability were identified. A simple specific strength analysis suggested that the mass penalty of self-healing could, in some cases, be offset by the improved design allowables permitted.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3171-3177 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Composites Science and Technology |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 15-16 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2008 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The research reported in the article was supported by the UK Ministry of Defence under Grant FATS/RAOWPE/02 and the University of Bristol via a Convocation Scholarship for H.R. Williams. The authors are grateful to Mr. Andy Limmack for his assistance with resin rheometry and the improvements suggested by the reviewers.
Keywords
- A. Smart materials
- B. Impact behaviour
- B. Strength
- C. Sandwich
- Vascular self-repair
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ceramics and Composites
- General Engineering