Thermomechanical Insult Test System for Polymer Bonded Composites

The overall goal of the program is to develop test hardware and testing methodologies for the evaluation of the effects of sustained (i.e. >30 minutes) vibration and temperature environments on polymer bonded composites materials (i.e. self-heating). The eventual test hardware will be capable of 4g accelerations for frequencies up to 40 kHz in a temperature controlled environment from -60C to 300C. The self-heating will be characterized in situ using one or more of the following techniquesinfrared thermography, laser Doppler vibrometry, vibration spectrum analysisas well as microscopy techniques for structure degradation ex post facto. The Phase I effort will demonstrate the test hardware using PBC test samples up to 2 kg with 4g accelerations up to 20 kHz in a temperature controlled environment from -50C to 120C.The Phase II will extend the experimental design to account for the entire frequency and temperature range as well as accommodating either test samples up to 10 kg or extra large samples up to 1000 kg.