Characterization of Syntactic Foams and Their Sandwich Composites: Modeling and Experimental Approaches
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2003 Characterization of syntactic foams and their sandwich composites: modeling and experimental approaches Nikhil Gupta Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Engineering Science and Materials Commons Recommended Citation Gupta, Nikhil, "Characterization of syntactic foams and their sandwich composites: modeling and experimental approaches" (2003). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 517. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/517 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. CHARACTERIZATION OF SYNTACTIC FOAMS AND THEIR SANDWICH COMPOSITES: MODELING AND EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Interdepartmental Program in Engineering Science by Nikhil Gupta B.Eng., University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India, 1996 M. Eng., Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, 1998 August, 2003 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Eyassu Woldesenbet, my major Professor for the invaluable constructive guidance and encouragement extended throughout my study. Sincere gratitude is expressed to Dr. Su-Seng Pang for the encouragement and help provided. I would like to thank my graduate committee members Dr. Win Jin Meng, Dr. Lin-Bing Wang and Dean’s representative Dr. Gregory Stone for their input and time invested in the study. Useful discussions and suggestions of Dr. H. Dwayne Jerro are deeply appreciated. I would like to thank DOW Chemical Company and 3M for providing epoxy resin and cenospheres, respectively and technical information for the experimental study. Extensive help of Amol Jadhav during entire fabrication process and of Dr. Samuel Ibekwe during Mechanical Testing is gratefully acknowledged. Constant encouragement of my family to pursue higher studies has made it possible for me to reach at this stage. I wish to thank all my family members for love, help and encouragement provided. A special note of thanks for my wife, Surbhi Mittal, for her constant help, encouragement and understanding. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ v LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................... x 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 COMPOSITE MATERIALS .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 SANDWICH STRUCTURED COMPOSITES ............................................................................ 1 1.2.1 Definition ................................................................................................................1 1.2.2 Components in Sandwich Composites.................................................................... 2 1.3 PARTICULATE COMPOSITES ............................................................................................. 5 1.3.1 Filler Materials........................................................................................................ 5 1.3.2 Syntactic Foams...................................................................................................... 5 2 LITERATURE SURVEY..................................................................................................... 8 2.1 ANALYTICAL MODELING ................................................................................................. 8 2.1.1 Early Efforts............................................................................................................ 8 2.1.2 Influence Zone Theory............................................................................................ 8 2.1.3 Adhesion Bond Theory........................................................................................... 9 2.1.4 Concentration Decrease/Void Addition (CD/VA) Theory ................................... 10 2.2 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ............................................................................................... 11 3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE ................................................................................................ 12 3.1 ANALYTICAL MODELING ............................................................................................... 12 3.2 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS........................................................................................... 12 3.3 EXPERIMENTAL.............................................................................................................. 12 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................... 14 4.1 ANALYTICAL APPROACH ............................................................................................... 14 4.1.1 Stress Concentration Factor .................................................................................. 14 4.1.2 SCF in Particle Filled Epoxies.............................................................................. 14 4.2 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS........................................................................................... 22 4.2.1 Cenosphere Filled Polymers ................................................................................. 22 4.2.2 FEA Parameters .................................................................................................... 22 4.2.3 Results and Discussion ......................................................................................... 24 4.2.4 Conclusions........................................................................................................... 26 4.3 EXPERIMENTAL STUDY .................................................................................................. 26 4.3.1 Raw Materials....................................................................................................... 26 4.3.2 Materials Processing and Fabrication ................................................................... 28 4.3.3 Testing Parameters................................................................................................ 30 4.3.4 Hygrothermal Testing of Syntactic Foam............................................................. 31 4.3.5 Edgewise Compression Tests of Syntactic Foams – Small Specimens................ 44 4.3.6 Edgewise Compression Tests of Syntactic Foams - Bigger Specimens............... 50 4.3.7 Flatwise Compression of Syntactic Foams........................................................... 53 4.3.8 Effect of Specimen Aspect Ratio on Syntactic Foam Compression..................... 57 4.3.9 Edgewise Compression Testing of Syntactic Foam Core Sandwich Composites 60 iii 4.3.10 Flexure Test of Sandwich Composites ................................................................. 65 5 SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................75 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 76 VITA............................................................................................................................................. 80 iv LIST OF TABLES 1. ASTM Standards selected for the testing of syntactic foams. .................................................13 2. ASTM Standards selected for the testing of syntactic foam core sandwich composites.........13 3. Particle size distribution of cenospheres..................................................................................28 4. Physical properties of cenospheres. .........................................................................................28 5. Density and void content of fabricated syntactic foam slabs...................................................30 6. Compressive properties of syntactic foam specimens tested in edgewise orientation using small specimens..............................................................................................................44 7. Compressive Modulus and strength of syntactic foam tested in edgewise orientation using bigger specimen..............................................................................................................52 8. Compressive properties of polymer used as syntactic foam matrix material. .........................54 9. Comparison of compressive properties of syntactic foam specimens tested in flatwise and edgewise orientations........................................................................................................56 10. Compressive strength