No abstract

The only engineering materials with both high strength and toughness, and with densities less than 1000 kg m-3 , are natural materials (woods) and some plastics. Cellular structures such as the octet lattice, when made from periodic arrangements of strong, low-density metallic trusses, are known to have high specific strengths and elastic moduli. However, much less is known of their resistance to fracture. Here we investigate the fracture toughness of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy octet-lattice truss structure manufactured using a 'snap-fit' method. The samples had densities between 360 and 855 kg m-3 (relative densities of 8-19%) and free truss lengths between 4 and 15 mm. Their fracture resistance was determined using the J-integral compliance method applied to single-edge notched bend specimens. The toughness is shown to increase linearly with the relative density and with the square root of the cell size, while the strength was confirmed to scale only with relative density and the strength of the solid. A moderate increase in resistance with crack length (an R-curve effect) was seen for the higher relative density and larger cell size samples. With a fracture toughness between 2 and 14 MPa m 1/2 and a compressive strength between 20 and 70 MPa, these structures offer a new lightweight engineering material solution for use at temperatures up to 450C.

No abstract

A B S T R A C TThe mechanisms of progressive penetration for two ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) reinforced laminates have been investigated. One used an UHMWPE fiber reinforcement while the other utilized molecularly aligned tape. Both materials had similar out of plane compressive strengths, but the fiber system had a 40% higher in plane tensile strength than the tape. Laminated, 6 mm thick plates with a [0°/90°] ply architecture were impacted by a 12.7 mm diameter sphere under conditions that either allowed out of plane plate deflection or eliminated this deflection by rear support of the target. The depth of penetration and the ballistic limit in the rear-supported tests were identical for the two materials, and proceeded by progressive ply failure. However, tests in the edge clamped condition resulted in a substantially higher penetration resistance, especially for the higher tensile strength fiber-reinforced material. Edge clamped testing of a bilayer target, where the front third was composed of the tape material and the remainder comprised fiber reinforced laminate, had the same ballistic limit as a target composed of only the higher ply tensile strength fiber reinforced material. Penetration in both test support conditions was discovered to occur by tensile ply rupture under the projectile, consistent with a recently proposed mechanism for converting out of plane compression to in plane ply tension. Lateral displacement of plies was also observed near the sides of impact craters in both materials, indicating the existence of a second mechanism impeding penetration of the spherical shaped projectile.

No abstract