Tensile and compression test of carbon/epoxy composite laminate under combined action of laser irradiation and load

Abstract

The failure behaviour of T700/603 carbon fibre/epoxy composite laminates subject to pre-load and laser irradiation was tested. The effect of main parameters on failure time of specimens has been studied. Specimens with different thickness were kept in tension or compression pre-load using a specially designed load holding device. Meanwhile, CO₂ continuous wave laser beam was irradiated on specimens until they were damaged. Through the experiments, we obtained the relationship between the failure time of the specimen and the pre-load is approximately linear when the laser power density and the thickness were constant; the relationship between the failure time of the specimen and the laser power density is approximately exponential when the pre-load and the thickness were unchanged; the relationship between the failure time of the specimen and the thickness is approximately quadratic function when the pre-load and the laser power density were fixed. The failure mechanism of the pre-tension specimen is different from that of the pre-compression specimen. In the pre-tension experiment, the pre-tension specimen was pulled off in a spallation, whereas it collapsed by delaminating and buckling in the pre-compression experiment. The fitting equations present a prediction of lifespan of the carbon/epoxy composite-laminated structures subject to pre-load and laser irradiation.

Keywords:

• Composite
• Irradiation
• Mechanical properties
• Failure prediction