High strain rate response of bio-composites using split Hopkinson pressure bar and digital image correlation technique

ABSTRACT

In this research, high strain rate response and energy absorption characteristics under dynamic compression loading of five different bio-composites were studied using a compression split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and DIC (digital image correlation) technique. This study is to map suitability of plant-based materials instead of petroleum-based plastic as a constituent raw material in composites. Bio-composites panels were made from Southern yellow pine (SYP), Corn starch (CS), and Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) using a Dieffenbacher hot press. The ability of non-contact DIC analysis served as a valuable tool to measure the strains over a large range of deformation in wood-based bio-composites subjected to high strain rate compressive loading. Among all, Material 2 bio-composite with high manufacturing pressure had highest peak strength, shows that material behaviour at high strain rates is strongly dependent on the manufacturing pressure during fabrication. Presence of corn starch marginally increased the energy absorption capacity.

KEYWORDS:

• Bio-composites
• split Hopkinson pressure bar
• digital image correlation technique
• high strain rate
• specific energy absorption

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to Dr P. Raju Mantena, Damian Stoddard and Sumanbabu Ukyam for their involvement throughout this research and Matthew Lowe for the machining of the wood-based bio-composite samples. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Jason Street http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7317-216X

Additional information

Funding

The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Research, Education, and Economics (REE), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), Administrative and Financial Management (AFM), Financial Management and Accounting Division (FMAD) and Grants and Agreements Management Branch (GAMB) under Agreement No. 5B-0202-4-001. This material is also supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and McIntire Stennis under grant no 1008126.