C-Shape Specimen for Tensile Radial Strength of Thick, Filament-wound Rings
Ambuj Sharma
Charles E Bakis*
Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, 212 EES Bldg., The
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
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Abstract |
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The objective of this investigation is to evaluate a new method of testing thick,
C-shaped rings for determining the radial tensile strength of thick, filament-wound
composite structures such as flywheel rotors. The proposed method of loading C-rings
with a hydraulic jack is simpler than previously used loading methods and is shown to be
quite tolerant of eccentricity of the jack. It is shown by sectioning a C-ring that
residual stresses in the specimen are negligible. Based on a detailed stress analysis
and post-failure inspections of appropriately dimensioned specimens, it is concluded
that failure is caused by radial tensile stress at a single critical location in the
specimen. The radial tensile strengths of four candidate flywheel rotor materials
measured with C-rings were generally less than strengths measured with flexure
specimens. The simplicity of specimen preparation and testing by the proposed method, in
conjunction with promising early results, suggests that the C-ring test method is
suitable for widespread use and possible standardization.
