Experimental evaluation of the strength distribution of fibers under high strain rates by bimodal Weibull distribution

This paper proposes a bimodal Weibull distribution model for strain- rate- and temperature-dependent fiber strength. The relationships of the mechanical quantities between fiber and fiber bundles at different strain rates and temperatures under tensile impact are established. A method for determining mechanical parameters of fibers by tensile impact tests of fiber bundles is established. Experiments on E-glass bundles have been performed at six strain rates (90, 300, 800, 1100, 1300 and 1700 s⁻¹) at three different temperatures (−70, 14, 80°C). According to the statistical analysis and models, the mechanical parameters for the fiber and their relationships with strain rate and temperature are obtained from the tensile impact experimental results. The emulated stress/strain curves from the model are in good agreement with the test data. The theoretical model and test results show that the shape parameters, β^d₁ and β^d₂, are not only strain rate independent but also temperature independent. The scale parameters σ^d₀₁ and σ^d₀₂, which change with strain rate and temperature, are not constant.